Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (Print)

Crisp vegetables, creamy feta, and protein-packed chickpeas in zesty lemon-oregano vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large cucumber, diced
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Legumes

06 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Cheese

07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, diced bell pepper, chopped parsley, and drained chickpeas.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well blended.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure all vegetables are evenly coated.
04 - Add the crumbled feta cheese and toss lightly to combine, or sprinkle on top for visual presentation.
05 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and develop.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can set the table, with zero cooking involved.
  • The lemon-oregano dressing is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything for days.
  • One bowl feeds four people or gives you enough for lunches that actually taste better as leftovers.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas; that starchy liquid is why some people say canned chickpeas taste chalky, and it's entirely preventable.
  • Add the feta last so it doesn't get crushed into a paste when you're tossing everything together; it should stay in distinct creamy pieces.
03 -
  • Let your feta come out of the fridge for five minutes before crumbling it; cold feta shatters, while slightly softened feta crumbles into more appealing irregular pieces.
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in the fridge; it lasts a week and works beautifully on other salads, roasted vegetables, or even as a dip for bread.
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