Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon (Print-Friendly)

Fresh Mediterranean chickpea salad with lemon, herbs, tomatoes, cucumber and olives—ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
06 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional; omit for dairy-free/vegan)
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tbsp)
10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse and drain chickpeas if using canned. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, finely dice the red onion, pit and slice the olives, and chop the parsley and mint. Place all salad components in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic and dried oregano. Season with salt and black pepper and whisk or shake until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Fold in crumbled feta if using.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This salad tastes even better after sitting for a while—so you can make it ahead and savor the flavors without stress.
  • The lemony dressing is endlessly customizable, and you'll find yourself wanting to drizzle it on anything that sits still.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing canned chickpeas, the whole salad can end up oddly metallic and muddy.
  • Letting the garlic rest in lemon juice for a couple minutes before mixing softens the bite so it doesn't overpower the dish.
03 -
  • To mellow raw onion flavor, soak diced red onion briefly in cold water, then drain before adding.
  • For a creamier texture, mash a few chickpeas into the dressing before tossing with the vegetables.
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