Description
Chickpea Salad Recipe: Fresh, easy, and nutritious salad with chickpeas, feta, and herbs. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1 English cucumber, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ red onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Chickpeas Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Shake off excess water and spread them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Gently pat dry to remove moisture and any loose skins. Transfer the prepared chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Prep the Vegetables Dice the cucumber into ½-inch pieces (no need to peel if using English cucumber). Halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, and chop the bell pepper into small pieces similar in size to the chickpeas. Add all these vegetables to the bowl with the chickpeas.
- Step 3: Add Remaining Salad Ingredients Add the halved kalamata olives to the bowl. Roughly chop the fresh herbs—parsley and mint—and add them as well. If using feta cheese, crumble it over the salad ingredients but don’t mix yet.
- Step 4: Make the Dressing In a small bowl or jar, combine the minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. While continuously whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil until the dressing is well emulsified and slightly thickened.
- Step 5: Combine and Marinate Pour the dressing over the Chickpea Salad ingredients and gently toss everything together using two large spoons or spatulas, being careful not to break up the chickpeas or crush the tomatoes. For best flavor development, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Step 6: Final Adjustments Just before serving, give your chickpea salad a gentle toss and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. If the salad seems dry after marinating (as the chickpeas may absorb some dressing), drizzle with a small amount of extra olive oil to refresh it.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350 calories per serving
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 21 grams
- Saturated Fat: 7 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
- Fiber: 8 grams
- Protein: 12 grams
- Cholesterol: 25 mg