Delicious and filling chickpea salad recipe spiced up with a bright Mediterranean dressing that is above your usual. Healthy, tasty and naturally vegan.
Red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and parsley are all combined with chickpeas and seasoned to perfection. All the favorite fresh vegetables in just one delicious bowl. Packed full with big flavors, this salad is a great make ahead for parties and gatherings.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- Easy to make and comes together fast.
- Perfect for lunch or as a side dish.
- Great for picnics and potlucks.
A colorful salad that will brighten any dinner table, with leftovers great for lunch. This Mediterranean chickpea salad is hearty and very filling with my favorite spice combination. The dressing for this salad is extremely mouthwatering, I thought I could drink it on its own🤤.
📝 Ingredients
- Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Red onions.
- Cucumbers.
- Tomatoes.
- Red bell pepper.
- Parsley.
- For the dressing you will need: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, cardamom, dry mint and freshly ground black pepper.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a bowl, add all the veggies and the chickpeas .
- In an empty jar combine salad dressing ingredients and shake well to combine.
- Pour dressing over, toss and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
💡 Amira's Tips
- Persian or English cucumbers work the best for this recipe. They have thin skin and small seeds which make them better than any other.
- Ripe tomatoes are best used for this recipe, you can use cherry tomatoes as well.
⌛ Make Ahead
This Mediterranean chickpea salad is great for make ahead side dish. Cut the veggies, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6-8 hours. Pour dressing over and mix before serving preferably by 30 minutes.
🧺 Storage
Leftover chickpea salad can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and refrigerate, drain any excess juices if you would prefer to.
👩🍳 Variations
- Swap out the veggies: this recipe is so versatile, you can use any sort of onions instead of red onions, any bell pepper or spice it up and use jalapeño peppers.
- You may consider adding one or more of these ingredients to play with the recipe more : feta cheese, tofu, tuna or black olives.
- If you like it you can use fresh mint too.
🍽️ Serve With
- This salad makes a great meatless or vegan meal just add some freshly baked pita bread or flatbread crackers.
- Works great as a side with grilled meat like shish tawook, shish kebabs, and kofta.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Chickpeas are a staple in the Mediterranean pantry, and it is a very affordable meat substitute for vegans and vegetarian people. This little chubby legume is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, fiber, carbohydrates, and a long list of vitamins and minerals. Being packed with protein and fibers, chickpeas are considered an good food to promote weight loss.
My mom told me no, and I believe my mom end of the story😇. Researchers say that canned beans have almost the same nutrients as the dry one, may be a little bit less. But the problem is that canned beans have mush more sodium in them. Almost half of that sodium is washed away when we rinse the beans but take note that you are also washing away some of the nutrients. I always like cooking my own dry beans, but you know what? out of convenience I sometimes use canned chickpeas like in this recipe.
Here is my mom's method for cooking chickpeas. First you'll need to cover with cold water and add about half a teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of dry chickpeas. Soak overnight or in hot boiled water if you are in a hurry. Drain, place in a pot and cover with cold water ( almost 1 litre/1cup of soaked chickpeas), bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until tender checking every now and then for the water level. Take about 75-90 minutes to cook.
This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is an easy, healthy, gluten-free and vegan rainbow in a plate. It can stay in the fridge for several days, just drain and use if you wish. Personally, I like having this veggie water with my salad 😍. Works great as a side dish for your grilled meat or as a hearty filling lunch.
📣 Related Recipes
- This Middle Eastern eggplant salad is to die, textured and tasty.
- Enjoy this sweet and sour pearl couscous salad, so refreshing.
- Quick, easy and very delicious creamy smoked salmon with pasta.
- A 20-minute edamame quinoa salad with fresh vegetables and tangy dressing. This salad works great as a side dish or lunches for the whole week.
- Keto Greek Salad is an easy to make impressive dish to serve at a dinner party. Loaded with healthy, fresh vegetables, tangy dressing and scrumptious feta cheese.
- Here is a refreshing Mediterranean watermelon salad with arugula, feta and mint. This salad stands out at potlucks and disappears fast.
- Tabouli is a vibrant, refreshing salad loaded with fresh parsley. Salty and tangy this salad is a favorite on any Middle Eastern dinner table. Check out my tips for an authentic Lebanese tabouli.
More Bean Salad
- Black bean and chickpea salad is a delicious and nutritious dish that is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish to a main meal. You are going to love how easy and packable this salad is, works great for picnics and lunch boxes.
- Simple and easy white bean salad with Mediterranean flavors.
More Appetizers
- Crispy buffalo cauliflower is a delicious twist to the classic buffalo wings for an easy party snack. Lightly battered cauliflower is baked then tossed with spicy sauce, delicious crispy with bold flavors.
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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 can (15.5oz) chickpeas drained and washed
- 1 cup red onion diced.
- 1 ⅓ cup cucumber diced.
- 1 ½ cup tomato diced.
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced.
- ¼ cup parsley chopped.
For the dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ Tablespoon dry mint
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to your liking.
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine veggies and set aside.
- In an empty jar combine salad dressing ingredients and shake well to combine.
- Pour dressing over veggies and toss to coat everything well.
- Let it set for 30 minutes in the fridge before serving.
Video
Notes
- English or Persian cucumbers work the best for this recipe. They have thin skin and small seeds which make them better than any other.
- Ripe tomatoes are best used for this recipe, you can use cherry or grape tomatoes as well.
- For more tips and variations check out the post above.
- Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.
Nutrition
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First published Feb 2, 2019 . Last updated Aug 23, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.
Carol
Thank you Mira, I made this salad for an outside dinner and my Lebanese husband and my half Lebanese son and daughter in law all loved it... and of course I did too! So refreshing and summery, perfect!
Thanks for all updates, I really look forward to them
Amira
Carol, thank you for your feedback, I am so happy that your family liked it.
ummj9y
asalamu alaikum, jazaki Allahu Khairn for this recipe. I made this tonight, my husband, toddler and I ate it all, I had to make another batch of this since my husband wants it for breakfast in the morning. I made it along with kebabs, rice and tzatziki sauce. it is truly delicious, light and fresh. In sha Allah this will be one of our favorite go to salads in the future. 🙂
John Smith
I also didn't like chickpeas when I was young, but now it's something that I crave for. Thanks for the awesome recipe. I will be making this today after I get off work.
Amira
John, I always think it is amazing how our taste buds change as we grow up!! I can list so many things I did not like when I was a child and always thought how come my mom like these 🙂
Sylvia Ramez
Made it for dinner last nigh and it was delicious. Leftovers were even better with shredded chicken for lunch today.
Amira
Syliva, thank you much for trying this recipe... loved the addition of chicken.
Monica Singleton
Love your site and your food. You always inspire me Amira. Thanks so much.
Amira
Oh this comment makes my day Monica, thank you so much.