Vibrant and colorful Chickpea Salad combines the hearty goodness of chickpeas with the crispness of fresh veggies, all tossed in a tangy, zesty lemony dressing. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch, a side dish for dinner, or a satisfying snack, this dish is your go-to recipe packed with nutrients and easy to prepare.
If you love flavor-loaded salads, try my Mediterranean Pasta Salad, Super Simple Caprese Salad, or Tuna Salad.
In This Post
I’m sure you know this scenario: the family is starving, you are borderline “hangry,” and you have zero energy for cooking. Enter this lemony chickpea salad! After making it for lunch for myself for years, I know for a fact that it’s delicious and effortless, plus it’s one of my favorites for meal prep!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy to Make: You can whip it up in just 15 minutes and even make a double batch simultaneously. The double batch is your meal prep for the week because the salad improves with time (a true unicorn)!
- Bursting with Freshness: I love how every bite of this salad is packed with crisp, fresh veggies. It’s like a garden in a bowl! And the zesty dressing adds a bright, tangy flavor that ties all the ingredients together beautifully.
- Healthy and Nutritious: This no-cook recipe is a powerhouse of nutrients. Chickpeas are loaded with protein and fiber, making this dish delicious, incredibly satisfying, and healthy.
Ingredients And Tools You’ll Need
- For the salad dressing, you’ll need olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, a little honey, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper—all pretty staple pantry items!
- Chickpeas for the base of this salad. Garbanzo beans are the same, so either works.
- Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and green or red bell pepper to add freshness and crunch.
- Feta cheese adds a lovely saltiness to the salad and is quick to crumble and toss with everything else in this Mediterranean-style salad.
- Finally, a little fresh parsley helps to bring the dish all together.
- A mason jar is ideal for making the dressing.
- A large bowl for mixing all the salad ingredients is a must.
Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to make this Mediterranean-inspired salad your own. Here are some of my favorite versions that I’ve tested over the years:
- More fresh herbs like dill, chives, or cilantro are all tasty!
- Olives add another salty note and could be used instead of feta for a dairy-free version.
- Add a tablespoon of Greek yogurt to the dressing for a creamy chickpea salad.
- Add avocado right before serving for another creamy variation.
How To Make A Chickpea Salad
- Step One: Mix all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar.
- Step Two: Add all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Step three: Pour half of the dressing over the salad.
- Step four: Mix until evenly coated, taste, and add more dressing as needed.
Donya’s Tips For A Salad With Chickpeas
- Always taste the dressing and salad, then adjust the salt and pepper to your preferences.
- Make a double batch so you’ll have some all week to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad will stay good for four days in the fridge. It starts to get a bit wet after that. I’ve found draining the salad on day two helpful since the tomatoes and cucumbers release moisture.
Yes, this quick and easy salad is perfect for meal prep and making ahead of time. Let it chill for a few hours for maximum flavor and texture.
This yummy salad is gluten-free. To make it vegan, substitute agave for the honey in the dressing.
What To Serve With Chickpea Salad
To make this healthy chickpea salad part of your dinner plans, I love to serve it with Air Fryer Salmon or Air Fryer Chicken Legs. And if you’re cooking outside, try this Grilled Lemon Chicken or this Easy Grilled Flank Steak.
More Salad Recipes
If you tried this Chickpea Salad Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- ⅔ cup Olive Oil
- ½ cup Lemon Juice fresh squeezed
- 1 Garlic Clove grated
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Cumin more or less depending on personal preference
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Salad Ingredients
- Sprinkle of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- 2 cans Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Cucumber diced
- 1 cup Tomatoes diced
- ½ cup Red Onion diced, can substitute shallots or scallions
- ⅔ cup Bell Pepper diced, any color pepper you'd like to use will work
- ½ cup Feta cubed, size depending on personal preference
- ½ cup Fresh Italian Parsley chopped
Instructions
To Make The Dressing
- To a mason jar, add lemon juice, grated garlic, honey, olive oil, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Place the lid on the jar and shake until your dressing is well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings/flavor based on personal preferences.
To Make The Chickpea Salad
- Add drained chickpeas, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, feta, parsley and mint to a large mixing bowl. Gently stir mixture together until all ingredients are equally distributed.
- Pour half of the dressing over the Chickpea Salad and toss mixture together until dressing has evenly coated all the ingredients. Taste the salad and drizzle on more dressing if desired, adjust seasoning based on personal preference. Toss ingredients together again, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
-
- More fresh herbs like dill, chives, or cilantro are all tasty!
-
- Olives add another salty note and could be used instead of feta for a dairy-free version.
-
- Add a tablespoon of Greek yogurt to the dressing for a creamy chickpea salad.
-
- Add avocado right before serving for another creamy variation.
- This salad will stay good for four days in the fridge
- This salad is perfect for meal prep and making ahead of time. Let it chill for a few hours for maximum flavor and texture.
Nutrition
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Margot
Wow, what a lovely chickpea salad. The cumin makes the dressing.
The only change I made was replacing the cucumber and tomato with celery which gives it a nice little crunch and the bell pepper.
Mint was not mentioned in the list of ingredients but was later mentioned in the directions.
The mint is a lovely addition to the recipe.
Will definitely make this salad again.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Margot
Thank you so much!And I appreciate the reminder about the mint. So, glad you are cooking with me, Margot!
~Donya