Name: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 can cans chickpeas ((or 3 cups cooked and drained)); 1 medium English cucumber; 1 red bell pepper; 1/2 red onion (about 3/4 cup); 1/2 cup olives ((or more, to your taste)); 1/4 cup parsley; 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup or a little less); 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 tsp sugar ((optional, but cuts the vinegar nicely)); 1/2 tsp yellow mustard; salt and pepper to taste

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There are people who think of salads as mere sides, or decoration on a plate, and there are people (myself included) who think of salads as a whole meal. This Mediterranean chickpea salad is one of those beautiful salads that can be either: it can be served in a small scoop alongside some whole grains and (more) protein, or it can fill your bowl (and your tummy) on its own.

What Are Chickpeas?

Rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, these round legumes have been eaten as far back as 8400 BCE. They are fast—safe to eat from a can—and versatile. You can throw them in a soup or stew, process them into hummus, or make them the filling star of any salad.

For all their convenience, chickpeas are a big staple in our kitchen. My personal goal (which I don’t always meet) is to eat a can of beans a day. Chickpeas definitely help. Because their flavor is pretty subtle, they go well with almost anything. I can toss them into whatever I’m eating last minute, or prep them to be the highlight of my meal.

What Is The Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is named for the region around the Mediterranean sea, and what the people who live there eat. The diet focuses on fruits, veggies and whole grains, leaning towards beans, nuts and fish for protein and olive oil for healthy fat.

This Mediterranean chickpea salad perfectly presents what the diet is all about. It’s loaded with fibrous fruits and veggies, and uses legumes and olive as filling counterparts. You may be thinking, “what fruit?” In fact, olives, red pepper and cucumbers are actually all fruit. It seems wrong, but it’s oh so right.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Ingredients

I think at this salad’s core there are chickpeas with cucumber and onion. But if you have a can of white beans and no chickpeas, it will still work great. Same goes if you have a yellow onion instead of red. You could even make the salad without a cucumber, but I don’t recommend that unless you don’t like cucumber. It gives the salad such a refreshing punch, it’s probably the only ingredient I wouldn’t change.

As for everything else, it’s even more adaptable. Some choose their redness to come from tomatoes, others prefer bell peppers. (I prefer peppers since they last way longer in the fridge.) Those who eat dairy might not enjoy it without feta, and those who don’t might like vegan feta or none at all. I personally love kalamata olives and parsley on this salad, but not everyone does.

And dressing-wise, things remain open to experiment. Classically, the Mediterranean chickpea salad calls for a lemon and olive oil or white wine vinaigrette. But if you have balsamic, that will do the trick. If you have a cream-based dressing, that will do the trick, too.

How To Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mix all ingredients and call it a day! Just kidding. Not really though, because it’s super easy. In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, cucumbers, onion, olives, red bell pepper and parsley. Whisk the lemon and olive oil separately with a little sugar, salt and pepper, then toss onto the salad. You’re done!

This salad can be eaten alone, served with warm pita bread or with a grain like pasta, rice or quinoa.

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We love a good side around here! If you’re looking for more sides, try these:

Do You Love Chickpeas As Much As I Do?

If so, you’ll love this chickpea buddha bowl! The chickpeas are roasted in delicious spices and served on quinoa (or your grain of choice) with zucchini, red peppers and sweet potatoes. You could even sub the yogurt lemon dressing for tzatziki!

View This Delicious Chickpea Buddha Bowl