Chickpea Salad Recipe
Whole chickpeas, crisp cucumber, red and yellow tomatoes, thin red onion, olives, parsley, and dill make this a chopped bowl salad rather than a mashed chickpea filling. A lemon and olive oil vinaigrette brings the ingredients together without hiding their texture. Dry the rinsed chickpeas, then add the dressing gradually: the salad should look lightly glossy, with no liquid pooling in the bowl.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Serves: 6 as a side or 4 as a light lunch
Ingredients for Chickpea Salad
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups or 480g)
- 1 medium English cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks (250g)
- 1 pint red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (300g)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (60g)
- 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved (55g)
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (15g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to start, plus more to taste
- Several grinds of black pepper
How to Make Chickpea Salad
- Dry the chickpeas: Drain and rinse them in a colander, shake off excess water, and pat dry with a clean towel or paper towels. This keeps extra water from diluting the dressing.
- Prepare the vegetables and herbs: Cut the cucumber into bite-size chunks, leaving some peel on. Halve the tomatoes and olives, thinly slice the onion, and chop the parsley and dill. Reserve a small pinch of herbs for serving, if desired.
- Whisk the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Toss gently: Combine the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives, and herbs in a roomy mixing bowl. Add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss without crushing the tomatoes. Add more dressing only as needed for a light, even sheen; it should not pool at the bottom. Save any extra dressing for serving or another use.
- Taste and serve: Taste before adding more salt, since the olives are briny. Adjust the lemon or pepper as needed. If convenient, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then scatter the reserved herbs over the top and serve in a broad, shallow bowl.
Ingredient Swaps and Serving Ideas
Cooked-from-dry chickpeas can replace canned; cool them completely and use beans tender enough to eat but firm enough to hold their shape. If red onion is too sharp, use sliced green onion or chives. Crumbled feta is an optional variation, not part of the salad described above.
Serve as a light lunch or a side with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp. For a heartier pasta-based option, see this Lemon Basil Parmesan Pasta Salad with Chickpeas.
Make-Ahead and Storage
For the crispest salad, prepare the chickpeas and vegetables ahead but keep them separate from the dressing until close to serving. Hold back some herbs and make the final salt adjustment just before serving: salt draws moisture from the cucumber and tomatoes, and dressed herbs can wilt.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered airtight container. Aim to eat them within about 3 days for the best cucumber and tomato texture. The salad may remain usable for up to 4 days when properly refrigerated, but the vegetables will soften and the herbs may wilt. Stir and taste for seasoning before serving; no reheating is needed.
Nutrition Information
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 side-dish servings: 225 calories, 8g protein, 10g fat, and 27g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 110 calories, 4g protein, 5g fat, and 13g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands and portion sizes.
Equipment
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Small bowl or jar
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups or 480g)
- 1 medium English cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks (250g)
- 1 pint red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (300g)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (60g)
- 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved (55g)
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (15g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Several grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. Shake off excess water and pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towels.
- Cut the cucumber into bite-size chunks, halve the tomatoes and olives, thinly slice the onion, and chop the parsley and dill. Reserve a small pinch of herbs for serving, if desired.
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl or jar.
- Combine the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives, parsley, and dill in a large mixing bowl.
- Add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss gently without crushing the tomatoes. Add more dressing as needed for a light, even sheen, without letting it pool in the bowl.
- Taste and adjust the salt, lemon, or pepper as needed. Let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes if convenient, then top with the reserved herbs and serve.
Tips
- Dry the rinsed chickpeas well so they do not dilute the dressing.
- Add the dressing gradually; the salad should look lightly glossy, not wet.
- Taste before adding extra salt because the olives are briny.
- Hold back some herbs to garnish just before serving.
Variations
- Cooked-from-dry chickpeas: Replace the canned chickpeas with cooked-from-dry chickpeas that have cooled completely and are firm enough to hold their shape.
- Milder onion flavor: Replace the red onion with sliced green onion or chives.
- Feta variation: Add crumbled feta as an optional variation.