Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
145 Comments
Updated Jul 13, 2023
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Mediterranean chickpea salad is the ultimate summer salad. Chickpeas are tossed with fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta, parsley, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. Bonus – it’s light enough for an easy lunch yet hearty enough for a dinner side dish.
I’m a big fan of chickpea recipes and veggie-forward, vibrant meals. I love to make this creamy, classic hummus (or this beet hummus). And who can resist falafel? But when summer starts to creep in, this Mediterranean chickpea salad is on repeat. It’s deliciously fresh, perfectly filling, and one of those salad recipes you just can’t get enough of!
If cans of chickpeas are a pantry staple in your house, as they are in mine, then this recipe is super easy to whip up. The large portion of this salad makes it meal prep friendly and it’s durable enough to last the entire week! Plus, I’ll share with you a few other ways to enjoy this salad below.
Chickpea Nutritional Benefits
Not only do chickpeas add a deliciously nutty taste to recipes, but they work wonders for your body and gut health. Here’s how.
- They have an excellent nutritional profile that provides a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
- They provide a heavy dose of soluble fibers to help feed the “good” gut bugs in your microbiome, which can also help with digestive issues.
- They’re the perfect plant-based protein option that keeps you full and your appetite in control.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Ingredients
This is a salad that’s simple on ingredients but big on flavor. And that’s the beauty of Mediterranean recipes. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Chickpeas: We’re keeping this simple by using canned chickpeas. But you can soak dried chickpeas as well. Just make sure to thoroughly rinse and drain them before tossing them into the salad.
- Vegetables: Cucumbers, grape tomatoes, red bell peppers, and red onions are a marriage of bright flavors and a refreshing crunch.
- Cheese: I’m using crumbled feta cheese to give it a Mediterranean flair.
- Herbs: Sprinkle in chopped parsley for a pop of freshness.
- Dressing: To maintain this salad’s light profile, I’m using my homemade lemon vinaigrette for just the right amount of lemony zest.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How to Make This Chickpea Salad
One of the reasons why I love this salad so much is that it’s effortless to make. Just quickly slice and dice the vegetables, drain the chickpeas, toss everything in a bowl, then finish with a drizzle of the lemon vinaigrette. The perfect speedy dish!
Ways To Serve This
While the name says salad, there’s plenty of room for creativity when it comes to serving.
- Salad: For a leisurely and light lunch, this salad will be your best friend. Plus, it keeps well for meal prepping ahead of time and storing in your bento box for the week.
- Side Dish: Serve this alongside chicken souvlaki, Tuscan chicken, or baked tuna meatballs to round out your dinner.
- Sandwich: Turn this into a smashed chickpea sandwich by first smashing your chickpeas in a large bowl with a fork. Toss it with the rest of the ingredients, then layer it in between bread slices or add to lettuce cups.
Chickpea Salad Variations
Like many other salads, there’s always little ingredients you can add to switch it up and make it even more exciting. Here’s a few ideas.
- Switch up the vegetables: Amp up the flavors by adding fire-roasted tomatoes, pickled red onions, and chopped avocados. And if you’re a fan of leafy greens, feel free to toss in chopped spinach.
- Switch up the seasoning: You can use a Greek salad dressing for a different flavor profile or add a sprinkle of paprika to give it a hint of smoke. But play around with different seasonings to your liking.
- Use roasted chickpeas: For another twist on a chickpea salad, this roasted chickpea salad is the best combination of roasted chickpeas, cucumber, roasted red peppers, pickled red onion, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette.
Storage Tips
What’s great about this salad is that it stores well without getting soggy and wilted like other salads. Just make a big batch and portion it out throughout the week. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
Make the most of fresh summer produce with these easy side salad ideas! For even more options, check out this delicious roundup of the best summer salads.
This Mediterranean chickpea salad is just what you need to serve on a hot summer day (or any time of the year really). If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think in a comment below!
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- lemon vinaigrette, you can use as much or as little as you'd like
Instructions
- Add. Toss all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and give it a gentle stir until well combined.
Lisa’s Tips
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted August 2020, but update to include new information.
I made this salad over the summer for my family and I had to give the recipe to everyone because it was a huge success! Love it!
Thank you for sharing it.
Wonderful! That’s great to hear everyone loves this chickpea salad.
Hi! May I check, based on all your recipes, your nutritional info for each of the recipes are based on the whole recipe?
The nutritional info is per serving.
Love this chickpea salad! I meal prep this often and leave the dressing on the side, then simply mix it in when I’m ready to eat. It’s so delicious and nourishing!
That’s a great approach to take. Happy you love it, Alison!
So simple and delicious!
If I’m meal prepping this, is it fine to mix in the dressing and leave in the fridge for 3-4 days?
Yep, that’s fine!
I find English cucumbers are better than regular cucumbers. It does not leave a lot of liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
Otherwise great Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad
You can use either or when it comes to this chickpea salad!
I would love to know how many grams is a portion size to stay within the macros…
Made this salad for a family gathering but now unsure how much to divide the leftovers to keep track of the calories
I would say each serving is abut 3/4 to 1 cup, depending how big your veggies are!
Made as part of dinner tonight. Keeper recipe!
Amazing! Glad you’re loving this Mediterranean chickpea salad.
This salad is a real keeper. I made it exactly as printed other than I added 1/2 cup of black olives sliced for added color and texture. I also used Briannas vinaigrette and mixed a little in just before serving.I love this salad without dressing. It is so fresh and flavorful.
Happy you loved this chickpea salad recipe, Doris!
My husband and I really enjoyed the salad. It was flavorful and the Lemon Vinaigrette brightened the flavor even more. Next time I make this, which I certainly will, I want to try one of your suggested variations. This is going in my favorites file!
Happy to hear you and your husband are loving this Mediterranean chickpea salad, Sheila!
My Boyfriend and I LOVE this combination of ingredients! We have been enjoying this salad every day for a light and refreshing lunch.
Oh wonderful! I’m happy you both love the recipe.
Hi Lisa! Thank you for all your delicious recipes!
I was wondering if you could toast the chick peas for this recipe? My family does not enjoy them raw.
Yes, you can roast them for this recipe! I also have a roasted chickpea salad recipe on the website :)
First I’d like to start off by saying there’s no recipes of Lisa’s I’ve tried that I haven’t liked, and this light summer salad is no different! I had been searching for something easy to make for summer lunches and really loved how easy it was to put this together. It’s delicious, flavorful, and has just the right amount of protein. Thank you Lisa for another great summer recipe – this is now on my weekly rotation!
You’re more than welcome, Nicole! I’m so happy you love this recipe, and many others on my website. :)
My family loved this salad! Question – what can I use instead of cucumbers?
You can also use zucchini, bell peppers, or celery!
Oh My! What a beautiful and tasty blend of ingredients, and so easy to prepare! Next time I may add some sliced black olives…
Black olives are more than welcome in this salad :)
This has been my go to salad recipe. Thank you for a great recipe! The lemon vinaigrette is absolutely delicious!
Happy to hear this salad has become a staple Munira!
This MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD I made as part of my meal prep, and was delicious every time! Thank you!
So happy you loved it Lucy!
Delish! I omitted the Feta cheese as I am not a fan. Wonderfully crunchy and fresh! Used a bit less than half the dressing and that was plenty. Husband loved it. Sharing with my son for his weekly lunch/meal prep
I MADE THIS SALAD AND IT WAS A BIG HIT
EVERYONE ASKED FOR THE RECIPE. THANK YOU PAT
Happy to hear this chickpea salad was such a hit!!
Hi
Can I use cotija cheese in place of feta or can you suggest another alternative? Really not a fan of feta or goat cheese
That’s fine! You can use whatever cheese you enjoy.
What a delicious, fresh and versatile salad! Perfect for summer days. I added some fresh corn and grilled chicken to make a hearty and filling lunch with a piece of naan bread. The lemon vinaigrette brings it all together and is tangy and bright. Loved it!
Love how you added corn and grilled chicken to really round out this salad!
This is such an easy salad to put together – its filling and refreshing at the same time. It will definitely be a go-to salad for this summer
This really is such an easy, throw-together salad!
I made this salad and as someone who does not like complicated recipes this was PERFECT! The dressing is easy to make and the “simple salad” tastes great the day I made it and 3 days later. I highly recommend the recipe.
We’ve made this recipe a couple of times now and it is so refreshing! Perfect for summer.
Happy to hear you’re loving this chickpea salad Shawn!
Made this salad and just loved it! I did not have feta but it was just as good without it. Had it for lunch several days and the taste got better as it sat in the marinade.
I make this salad almost every week as it is super quick to make and I do it in slightly different variations. It is perfect for a lunch to take to work with you. Love it!
Definitely a great meal prep salad!
Made this and came out perfectly. Also watched the YouTube video which helped to know exactly how to do it – specially the way things were cut etc – would definitely make again! Easy to assemble, refreshing to eat – used for a for Memorial Day weekend BBQ sides dish, and have been eating leftovers the following days. Perfect! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed this chickpea salad and that the video was helpful :)
Lisa, I love how you show all the ingredients separately in one photo! I’m a Montessori Guide and your healthy recipes make it so easy to allow this to become a visual recipe for our young children who can’t quite read yet. Please continue.
Oh wonderful, it’s great to hear that feedback. Thanks Alesha!
A weekly staple in our house ! So good and so fresh ❤️ I usually make this on a Sunday and pair it with a protein for our lunches throughout the week .
Glad this salad has become a staple Rachel!