Easy 10-minute Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a refreshing and nutritious dish that's easy to make and perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner! Packed with wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, fresh veggies, and tangy feta cheese. Perfect for a healthy lunch or side dish.

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is made with hearty garbanzo beans, colorful bell peppers, crisp, cool cucumbers, fresh herbs, and creamy feta. Protein and fiber-rich chickpeas make a hearty vegetarian main or serve as an easy side dish with some chicken, or seafood.

My family loves Mediterranean food. Healthy and rich in flavors, Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines. I make Mediterranean food quite often at home. Moroccan Chickpea Soup is one of the popular soup recipes on my blog.

I do a lot of meal prep and find this garbanzo bean salad keeps well for a long. We can enjoy this salad as is or have it a wrap. This fiber and protein-rich garbanzo bean salad is satisfying and keeps you full for longer.

Jump to:

• Why make Chickpea Salad
• Ingredients for Chickpea Mediterranean Salad
• How To Make Salad With Chickpeas
• Ways To Serve Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Tips
• Make-ahead & Storage
• FAQ
• More Chickpea recipes
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Related

Why make Chickpea Salad

You will love this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. It takes only 10 minutes to make this fabulous salad. This salad is packed with fiber and protein-rich chickpeas, nutritious veggies, and fresh herbs. This garbanzo bean salad is great on its own or enjoy in a wrap, great to feed an army or for meal prep.

I like to keep the dressing for this salad simple. The dressing consists of some good quality extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey to balance the flavors, and some salt and pepper. Super simple, yet highly addictive!

For extra flavor, you can add some roasted ground cumin, or sumac, a middle eastern spice blend. Fresh minced cloves of garlic or some garlic powder, and red chili flakes to add some heat to the salad. Jalapeno pepper can be used for some heat, deseed for mild flavor. Lemon zest can be used in combination with lemon juice.

I like this salad at room temperature, it tastes fabulous. If you are looking for something light and refreshing for lunch, try this salad. I always make a big batch of this salad and keep it in the refrigerator. It makes excellent fast, and healthy meals in no time.

Ingredients for Chickpea Mediterranean Salad

Chickpeas - Chickpeas are a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. They have a nutty flavor and a slightly firm texture that holds up well in salads.

Vegetables - Vegetables like cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion add crunch and texture to garbanzo bean salad.

Bell peppers - Bell peppers add sweetness, nice color, and crunch to this salad. I used some green bell pepper, as that's what I had at the time. For a medley of colors, use mixed-color bell peppers like red, yellow, orange, or green.

Cucumbers - Crisp and cool cucumbers add a light and refreshing taste to the salad. I used one medium English cucumber. It's absolutely fine to use any other variety of cucumber. I normally like to peel the cucumber, feel free to leave the peel on.

Red onions - Red onions have a mild flavor and are best used in salads. If you find onions strong, soak the onion in cold water for a few minutes. This helps remove some of the strong, pungent flavors from the onion.

Herbs - Herbs like parsley, cilantro, and mint add freshness and flavor to the salad.

Cheese - Cheese like crumbled feta or goat cheese add creaminess and tanginess to the salad.

Nuts or seeds - Nuts or seeds like toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds add crunch and nuttiness to the salad.

Dressing - Dressings made with olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, or tahini add flavor and moisture to the salad.

How To Make Salad With Chickpeas

This Greek chickpea salad is one of the easiest recipes, made with a few pantry staples and fresh ingredients.

The star ingredient of this recipe is chickpeas or garbanzo beans. You can use canned chickpeas or cook them. Make sure to rinse the can chickpeas to avoid any excess sodium.

I always make a batch of chickpeas and store it in the refrigerator. Make quick and healthy meals, in no time. I use dried beans and cook chickpeas in Instant Pot. Here's How to cook chickpeas using dried beans. 

To make a Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe, you will need to mix chickpeas, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Next, make the salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, and your desired herbs and spices, and pour it over the salad. Toss all the ingredients together. Refrigerate the salad for a minimum of one hour before serving.

Ways To Serve Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

As a side dish: Mediterranean chickpea salad makes a great side dish for grilled meats or fish, and can be served alongside other salads or vegetable dishes.

As a main dish: If you're looking for a vegetarian or vegan meal, you can serve Greek chickpea salad as a main dish. Simply add more chickpeas and vegetables to make it more filling.

In a pita: Mediterranean chickpea salad can be stuffed into a pita pocket for a quick and easy lunch or snack.

At a potluck or party: Mediterranean bean salad is a great dish to bring to a potluck or party. It's easy to make in large quantities, and is always a crowd-pleaser.

On a bed of greens: For an even healthier meal, serve the chickpea salad on a bed of greens like spinach or arugula.

Hummus and pita bread: Chickpea salad pairs well with hummus and pita bread for a Middle Eastern-inspired meal.

Substitutions

Here are some substitutions you can make for the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad:

1. Chickpeas: If you don't have chickpeas or prefer a different type of legume, you can use white beans, black beans, or red kidney beans as alternatives. Try Sprouts instead of chickpeas.
2. Cucumbers: If you're not a fan of cucumbers, you can substitute them with zucchini or bell peppers for a similar crunchy texture.
3. Cherry Tomatoes: Any type of tomatoes will work well in this salad. You can use diced roma tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes for a different taste and appearance.
4. Feta Cheese: If you want a vegan option or simply don't enjoy feta cheese, you can use vegan feta made from tofu or cashews. Alternatively, try other cheeses like goat cheese or mozzarella.
5. Red Onion: While red onions add a nice punch of flavor, you can use white or yellow onions if you prefer a milder taste.
6. Kalamata Olives: If you can't find Kalamata olives, you can use black olives or green olives instead.
7. Fresh Herbs: Use fresh herbs of your choice like parsley, basil, cilantro, or mint for a different twist.
8. Lemon Juice: If you're out of lemons, you can substitute with lime juice for a tangy citrus flavor.
9. Olive Oil: While olive oil is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, you can use avocado oil as an alternative.
10. Seasonings: Feel free to adjust the seasonings according to your taste. You can add a pinch of paprika, cumin, or sumac for an extra layer of flavor.

Variations

1. Indian Chickpea Salad: This salad is loaded with crisp, cool cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, and fresh herbs. Dressed with simple refreshing, tangy lemon juice, and aromatic Indian spices.
2. Greek-style chickpea salad: Add some chopped cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese to your chickpea salad, and dress it with a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano.
3. Roasted vegetable chickpea salad: Roast sweet potatoes, red peppers, and zucchini in the oven until tender, and then toss them with chickpeas and a lemon-tahini dressing.
4. Moroccan-style chickpea salad: Add some diced dates, sliced almonds, and dried apricots to your chickpea salad, and dress it with a cumin-spiced dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and honey.
5. Avocado chickpea salad: Mash a ripe avocado and mix it with chickpeas, chopped cilantro, red onion, and lime juice for a creamy and flavorful salad.
6. Mediterranean quinoa chickpea salad: Cook some quinoa and toss it with chickpeas, roasted red peppers, sliced Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Dress the salad with a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano.
7. Spicy chickpea salad: Add some diced jalapenos, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh cilantro to your chickpea salad, and dress it with a lime-chili dressing of olive oil, lime juice, and chili powder.

Tips

1. Use fresh ingredients: Fresh vegetables and herbs will give your salad the best flavor and texture. Look for fresh, ripe produce. Wash and chop the veggies before making the salad.
2. Cook the chickpeas properly: If you're using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them well before adding them to the salad. If you're using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook them until they're tender.
3. Dress lightly: The dressing for Mediterranean bean salad is meant to be light and tangy. Be sure to taste as you go and add more or less lemon juice, olive oil, or spices to suit your taste.
4. Let the salad marinate: To allow the flavors to blend together, it's best to let the salad marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will help soften the vegetables and make the salad easier to eat.
5. Serve at room temperature: Mediterranean chickpea salad is best served at room temperature.

Make-ahead & Storage

1. Make-ahead: You can prepare a chickpea salad recipe up to 1 day in advance. To avoid the salad from becoming overly moist, it's best to add the dressing just before serving.
2. Store in the refrigerator: Greek Chickpea salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
3. Keep ingredients separate: If you plan to store the salad, keep the ingredients separate. Just before serving mix them together. This will help maintain their texture and prevent the salad from becoming mushy.
4. Re-dress before serving: If the salad looks dry after being stored in the refrigerator, you can add a little more dressing just before serving to refresh the flavors.
5. Freeze: Chickpea salad recipe doesn't freeze well because of high water content in the vegetables. You can freeze cooked chickpeas and defrost them as needed for future salads.

FAQ

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