Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (Printable)

A vibrant salad featuring chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, and lemon dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Lemon Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced Kalamata olives, finely diced red onion, crumbled feta, and chopped parsley.
02 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl or jar until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad, adjust salt or pepper as needed, and serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to meld flavors.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in minutes—literally no cooking required, just chopping and tossing.
  • The flavors actually get better if you let it sit, so you can make it ahead and forget about dinner stress.
  • One bowl feeds four people or becomes tomorrow's lunch without anyone noticing you're eating the same thing twice.
02 -
  • Dress the salad close to serving time if you like things crunchy, or give it thirty minutes if you want the vegetables to soften and the flavors to meld into something more complex.
  • The feta will weep a little salt water into the salad—this is good and adds to the flavor, not a mistake.
03 -
  • Chill your bowl in the freezer for five minutes before adding everything—it keeps the salad cooler longer and makes the whole eating experience feel more refreshing.
  • Double the dressing recipe and keep it in the fridge; you'll find yourself drizzling it over everything else you eat that week.
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