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June 20, 2022

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Name: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup Olive Oil; 1/2 cup Lemon Juice (- fresh squeezed ); 1 Garlic Clove (- grated); 2 tablesppon Honey; 1 teaspoon Cumin (- can use up to a teaspoon, depending on personal preference); 3/4 teaspoon Coriander (- optional, depending on preference); Sprinkle of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (- amount depending on personal preference); Salt and Pepper To Taste (- amount depending on personal preference); 2 cans Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) (- drained and rinsed); 1 cup Cucumber (- diced); 1 cup Tomatoes (- diced); 1/2 cup Red Onion (- diced, can substitute shallots or scallions); 2/3 cup Bell Pepper (- diced, any color pepper you'd like to use will work); 1/2 cup Feta (- cubed, size depending on personal preference); 1/2 cup Fresh Italian Parsley (- chopped); 1/3 cup Fresh Mint (- chopped, can use up to 1/2 cup is desired)

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Light, flavorful, and loaded with crunchy goodness, this delicious protein-packed salad is destined to become your new favorite recipe in no time! Ready to serve in just 15 minutes, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad doubles as a grab-and-go lunch as well as a fantastic picnic recipe and side dish.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad made with onions, feta cheese, red peppers and cucumbers tossed in a light fresh lemony dressing. Great for parties and cookouts.

While my first love is, of course, southern food, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes are other favorites of mine. This chickpea salad has everything you could want from a dish; it’s incredibly flavorful, uses fresh ingredients, and it’s easy to double or triple for lunches or feeding a crowd.

Since chickpeas are such a common ingredient in middle eastern cooking, there are tons of different versions of this recipe, depending on the region. My version of Chickpea Salad is inspired by traditional Lebanese Balela.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is super versatile. You can top it with a fried egg for breakfast, serve it over spinach for lunch, and then enjoy it as a side dish with grilled chicken for supper.

It’s an ideal make-ahead salad recipe for mason-jar lunches, and it’s a family favorite dish for potlucks and cookouts!

Make This Recipe For…

Picnics
Cookouts and Potlucks
Family Gatherings
Graduation Parties

Game Day and Tailgating
Casual Entertaining
Birthday Celebrations
Holidays

Ingredients Needed To Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas – drained
Cucumber – diced
Tomatoes – diced
Red Pepper – diced
Red Onion – diced, can substitute shallots
Feta – cubed, size depending on personal preference
Fresh Italian Parsley – chopped
Fresh Mint – chopped
Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice
Garlic Clove – grated
Olive Oil
Honey
Cumin
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Pepper
Coriander – optional

PRO TIP: The ingredient amounts are completely dependent on personal preference! I’m a tomato lover, so I usually chop an extra tomato and add it in. If you’re an herb lover, toss in extra parsley and mint, you get to choose which flavors shine in your salad.

Lemony dressing is light and fresh and poured over Mediterranean Chickenpea salad.

How To Make This Chickpea Salad

The amazing thing about this recipe is that once all your veggies are chopped, you just have to mix it all together, and then you’re ready to serve.

To Prepare 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 Prepare the Salad

Add drained chickpeas, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, feta, parsley, and mint to a large mixing bowl. Gently stir the mixture together until all ingredients are equally distributed.
Pour half of the dressing over the Chickpea Salad and toss the mixture together until the 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!

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad served on a spoon for picnics, cookouts and summer gatherings.

How To Serve Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

There are so many great ways to serve this Chickpea Salad. Since it’s so protein-packed, you can eat it as a whole meal for lunch, but it doesn’t stop there. You can serve it as a side dish for chicken, fish, beef, or lamb recipes, as well as an appetizer with Homemade Pita Chips.

A couple of my favorite ways to prepare this dish include…

Making it a Wrap – use the Chickpea Salad as the filling for a pita wrap
Grab-and-Go Mason Jar Lunch – you can pour a little extra dressing into the bottom of a mason jar, top it with a handful of spinach and then add the Chickpea Salad on top. Close the jar, then when you’re ready to eat, you can just shake the jar and empty it out into a bowl.
Using it as a Topping – this flavorful salad is a delicious topping or side dish for so many main dishes. Whether you serve Chickpea salad with grilled chicken or beef, it’s sure to be a favorite!

Tasty Additions and Substitutions for Chickpea Salad

I am a big believer in making recipes work for you! If you’re not a fan of an ingredient, then leave it out or replace it with one of these delicious add-ons.

Additions

Pomegranate seeds
Za’atar seasoning
Sliced Olives
Toasted Pine Nuts
Couscous, Quinoa or Bulger

Substitutions

Shallots or Scallions instead of red onions
Avocado oil instead of Olive oil
Curry Powder instead of Cumin
Fresh Dill instead of Mint

How To Store This Recipe

As long as you don’t eat it all in one sitting, which can definitely happen, it will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Make sure you keep it sealed up in an airtight container.

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