Greek chickpea salad is the ideal summer dish. Crucially, it doesn’t require any cooking—all you have to do is assemble the ingredients and combine them in a bowl. It’s also light and healthy yet doesn’t skimp on flavor. Serve it as a side with other Mediterranean dishes like gyros, hummus and grilled pita and you’ve got one seriously delicious meal on your hands.
Ingredients for Feta Chickpea Salad
- Garbanzo beans: After rinsing, drain the beans properly. Spread the beans on paper towels to absorb any excess water.
- English cucumber: English cucumbers are sweeter and contain fewer seeds than regular cucumbers. While you could use a regular cucumber for this recipe in a pinch, the flavor won’t be the same.
- Sliced ripe olives: Kalamata olives would also be great in this salad.
- Medium tomato: Use cherry tomatoes for a sweeter taste if you like.
- Red onion: Slice the red onion as thinly as possible, as this makes the onion taste less strong.
- Fresh parsley: Another fresh herb, like dill or mint, would also work.
- Olive oil: Use high-quality olive oil if possible because the flavor will be noticeably better.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds a nice acidity to the dressing, which pairs nicely with the other flavors in this salad.
- Mixed salad greens: Use any greens you want; arugula, spinach, and kale are all tasty here.
- Feta cheese: Feta adds a salty, tangy taste that goes well with the other ingredients, especially the cucumber, tomato, and lemon.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients
Place the first 11 ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.
Feta Chickpea Salad Variations
- Add extra protein: Want to make this a hearty main dish? Shredded (pre-cooked) chicken or grilled tuna would be a great addition to Greek chickpea salad.
- Use other vegetables: We also like adding corn, celery or bell pepper to this salad.
How to Store Greek Chickpea Salad
Store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to five days. Do note that you may want to add a bit more lemon juice, salt and pepper before serving (the beans will absorb some of the liquid).
Can you make Feta chickpea salad ahead of time?
You could make this salad a few hours in advance. Chill it in the refrigerator until it’s almost time to serve, then let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Feta Chickpea Salad Tips
Can I make Feta chickpea salad vegan?
You could easily make this salad vegan by leaving off the feta or adding dairy-free feta (or another vegan cheese if you’d prefer).
What goes well with Feta chickpea salad?
Grilled meat or seafood, homemade hummus and pita pair excellently with Greek chickpea salad.
Can I double this recipe for Feta chickpea salad?
Yes, you can double this recipe. Just think of it as making two separate batches of the original recipe rather than trying to combine double the ingredients in one bowl.
