Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Lemon (Printable)

Refreshing salad blending chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and bright lemon dressing for a light, tasty meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
07 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional, omit for vegan)
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

# How To Cook:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, olives, feta cheese, parsley, and mint if using.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly blended.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper to preference.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than waiting for takeout and tastes better too.
  • Every bite is crunchy, tangy, and satisfying without feeling heavy.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets more flavorful sitting in the fridge.
  • It works as lunch, dinner, or that thing you eat at 3pm when youre starving.
02 -
  • Rinse and drain the chickpeas really well or the salad will taste like can water, I learned this the disappointing way.
  • Dont skip the fresh lemon juice, bottled stuff makes it taste like sadness and chemicals.
  • If youre making it ahead, add the feta and herbs right before serving so they stay fresh and dont get slimy.
03 -
  • Let the diced red onion soak in the lemon juice for five minutes before mixing everything, it takes the sharp edge off and makes it taste sweeter.
  • Use the best olive oil you have, it makes the whole salad taste richer and more luxurious even though its just vegetables and beans.
  • Taste the salad after it sits for a few minutes, the chickpeas absorb the dressing so you might need to add a squeeze more lemon or a pinch of salt before serving.

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