This healthy summer salad is easy to make and a celebration of all the fresh veggies and herbs of summer. Chickpeas add protein, and a flavorful vinaigrette brings it all together.
Transport yourself to the Mediterranean with this chickpea salad made with vegetables, fresh herbs and a tangy oregano vinaigrette.
This vibrant bean salad is bursting with color and flavor! Tender chickpeas combine with marinated artichokes, sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, salty olives and feta, lots of fresh herbs and a tangy oregano vinaigrette.
An easy to love Mediterranean-inspired salad
This chickpea salad is Mediterranean inspired. It brings together favorites from the kitchen — colorful veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers, salty Kalamata olives, plenty of fresh herbs like fresh mint and spring onions — into a quick dish that instantly transports you to sunny, balmy weather.
This amazing salad starts in the pantry with ingredients you always have on hand, like canned beans and marinated artichoke hearts, so you’re almost always just a few steps away from carrying it to your table.
How (and when) to serve this chickpea salad
There’s no wrong way or time to enjoy this chickpea salad. It’s wonderful at room temperature or cold.
I love it as is for a light and filling lunch, or over arugula or baby spinach for an easy no-cook dinner. It’s also good as a side dish for dinner. It goes perfectly with almost any protein, be it fish, shrimp, chicken or even steak.
Plus, it’s sturdy enough to make ahead of time and cart to a picnic or to the park for a picnic, or just make on Sunday as part of a meal prep session to eat all week long.
It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
The best feta to use
When you buy feta cheese, you can find two types in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store: feta blocks and pre-crumbled feta. While the sprinkles are definitely handy, they lack the flavor and texture that you get from the blocks.
The crumbles tend to be dry and chalky because they’re coated with an anti-caking agent like cellulose powder. The blocks are nice and wet though.
I always advise it Skip the pre-crumbled containers and opt for the blockswhich you can easily crumble with your hands.
The blocks are either sold in brine tubs or simply vacuum packed. Both are great choices. However, you should know that the blocks sold in brine have an even longer shelf life, as the liquid protects the cheese and makes it last longer once opened.
Blocks in brine will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. If you purchase a vacuum-sealed block, place it back in the original packaging and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This way it stays fresh for up to two weeks.
Swaps and Substitutions
While I love this salad the way it is, it’s an extremely versatile recipe. You can stick to the script or go a bit off-road if you want, depending on what ingredients you have on hand in your kitchen at the moment or what you’re craving.
- Try goat cheese instead of feta. Creamy, tangy goat cheese also goes wonderfully with this salad and can be substituted for the feta. Like feta, for the best flavor and texture, opt for a piece of goat cheese and crumble it yourself, rather than buying a pre-crumbled container.
- Reach for a different type of olive or even capers. Green olives, black olives, or even capers can substitute for Kalamata olives in the recipe. All add a salty, salty bite to the salad, so feel free to experiment to find your favorite.
- Mix and match the fresh herbs. I love the refreshing brightness that mint brings to this salad, as well as the mild onion flavor that spring onions bring. But an equal amount of fresh chives would impart a similar bite as scallions, and basil or parsley would be just as good as mint. See what’s overflowing in your herb garden if you keep one, or what’s starting to wither in your fridge’s crisper drawer.
- Or try a completely different bean. I know this is a chickpea salad, but white beans like cannellini or great northern would be especially tasty in this recipe.
More quick and easy salad recipes
- Panzanella bread salad
- Simple cucumber salad
- Tomato, cucumber and purslane salad
- Salad with white beans and cherry tomatoes
- Caprese Corn Salad
Mediterranean chickpea salad
ingredients
For the vinaigrette
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2 tablespoon olive oil
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2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon kosher saltplus more as needed
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1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepperplus more as needed
For the salad
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2 (15 ounces) cans Chickpeas, drained and washed
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1 (12 ounce) glass quartered and marinated artichoke heartsdrained
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1 pint cherry tomato or grape tomatoes, halved
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2 Persian cucumbershalved lengthways and thinly sliced
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2/3 Cup pitted Kalamata oliveshalved
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4 spring onions (Above 1/2 Cup), white and green parts, cut into thin slices
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2 tablespoon fresh mint leaveschopped
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6 ounces (approx 1 1/2 cups), feta cheesedecay
method
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Make the oregano vinaigrette:
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
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Add the salad ingredients to the vinaigrette:
Add the chickpeas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, spring onions and mint to the bowl. Mix well and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Add the feta cheese and gently toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
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Surcharge:
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. You can keep this salad covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 316 | calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 29g | carbohydrates |
| 12g | protein |
