Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Mediterranean chickpea salad is loaded with colorful fresh veggies, tangy feta cheese, briny olives, herbs and topped with a bright lemon vinaigrette that ties everything together.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or sub a regular tomato, chopped)
- ½ English cucumber, seeded and chopped
- ½ small red onion, chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup olives, pitted and halved (I use black kalamata)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, mint OR parsley (or use a combination), optional
For the lemon vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and olives, tossing to mix well.
- In a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, add all of the vinaigrette ingredients. Cover tightly and shake well until mixed. (You can also whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl if you prefer.)
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Add the herbs and stir to gently mix them in. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
This salad is best made in advance so the veggies can marinate in the dressing for about an hour before serving. Please plan accordingly.
Herbs: You can use basil, mint or parsley for the fresh herbs. Or a combination. (You can also skip them if you don’t have any on hand, they just add a great freshness when serving.)
Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are great here, and work year round, but you could also substitute a large ripe summer tomato if they are in season.
Olives: I use black kalamata olives but you could substitute another kind if you have a different favorite olive you want to use.
Dressing: You can also substitute a store-bought vinaigrette in place of the homemade lemon one if you prefer.
Leftovers: This salad will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just re-toss it before serving again so the dressing gets mixed back in well. Also taste it and add an extra drizzle or two of olive oil or lemon juice if you need to “wake” up the flavors again after a few days.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 296mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
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