Description
Mediterranean chickpea salad combines fresh ingredients from Greece and Italy with zesty herbs and crisp vegetables. Nutritious legumes and tangy dressing create a perfect summer side dish you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (75 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup (75 g) kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsps fresh mint, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chickpea Preparation: Thoroughly drain and rinse chickpeas, eliminating excess moisture to preserve the salad’s crisp essence.
- Vegetable Composition: Uniformly dice tomatoes, cucumber, and red bell pepper into consistent bite-sized pieces, creating a harmonious textural landscape with balanced ingredient distribution.
- Herb and Aromatics Processing: Thinly slice red onion while roughly chopping parsley and mint to unlock their aromatic potential and elevate the Mediterranean flavor profile.
- Cheese and Olive Integration: Crumble feta and slice olives strategically, ensuring saltiness permeates throughout the salad’s composition.
- Dressing Crafting: Combine minced garlic with olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a glass jar, whisking to create an emulsified, vibrant vinaigrette.
- Seasoning Fusion: Incorporate dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper into the dressing, shaking vigorously to develop a complex flavor spectrum.
- Final Assembly and Marination: Gently fold dressing into prepared ingredients, allowing flavors to meld and develop. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to intensify the salad’s Mediterranean character.
- Serving Preparation: Perform a final gentle toss, adjust seasoning if necessary, and garnish with additional fresh herbs to enhance visual appeal and aromatic complexity.
Notes
- Prep with Precision: Thoroughly drain and pat dry chickpeas to maintain salad’s crisp texture and prevent watery consistency.
- Chop Like a Pro: Cut vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure balanced flavor and texture in every serving.
- Maximize Flavor Infusion: Allow salad to rest in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, enabling ingredients to absorb dressing and develop deeper Mediterranean notes.
- Customize for Dietary Needs: Easily adapt the salad by substituting feta with vegan cheese or nutritional yeast for dairy-free version, or adding protein like grilled chicken for a more substantial meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg