Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette (Printer-friendly)
A vibrant, refreshing salad featuring chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and zesty lemon vinaigrette—perfect for light lunch or side dish.
# What You Need:
→ Salad
01 - 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 0.5 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 0.25 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 0.25 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
07 - 0.25 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
08 - 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Lemon Vinaigrette
09 - 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
16 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, olives, feta if using, and parsley.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine and evenly coat all ingredients.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Every bite delivers a perfect balance of creamy chickpeas, crunchy vegetables, and that zingy lemon dressing that makes your taste buds dance.
- It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a bit, making it the ideal make-ahead lunch that wont leave you with a 3 PM energy crash.
02 -
- Soaking the red onion in cold water for five minutes before adding it to the salad takes away the harsh bite while keeping all the flavor.
- The salad tastes significantly better after resting for at least 30 minutes, allowing the chickpeas to absorb the lemony dressing.
03 -
- The tiny bit of Dijon mustard in the vinaigrette doesnt add flavor so much as it helps create a perfectly emulsified dressing that wont separate.
- Massaging the dressing into the chickpeas with your hands for 30 seconds helps them absorb all those beautiful flavors much more effectively than just tossing.