Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is a delicious, healthy and easy salad that is ready in only 10 minutes. Serve it as side salad with salmon or chicken, as main dish over a bed of greens, or as wrap, sandwich or stuffed pita for an easy and delicious meal.

If you have checked out some of my recipes, you might have noticed that I have a huge love for creating Mediterranean and Turkish recipes. I just love how most Mediterranean recipes use simple and healthy ingredients to create flavorful and delicious dishes. And this healthy Mediterranean chickpea salad is definitely one of those simple, yet flavorful and healthy dishes!

This salad combines fresh and crunchy vegetables with nutritious chickpeas, fresh parsley and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. It can be served in a lot of ways and is just perfect if you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A true winner!

Are chickpeas healthy?

Yes, chickpeas are absolutely healthy! They are a staple in vegan cooking, and that for good reason. Here are some reasons why chickpeas should make their way into your kitchen pantry:

• Rich in vitamins and minerals: Chickpeas have an amazing nutritional profile, providing a variety of vitamins and minerals, like folate, iron and magnesium.
• Protein source: Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. Besides being an essential nutrient for the human body, protein helps to keep you full and satiated. A great plus for any type of dish or salad!
• Fiber source: Chickpeas are rich in soluble fiber, which contributes to a healthy gut flora and overall optimal health.

There are many more reasons why you should integrate chickpeas into your meals, but those are the three major ones. And let’s not forget that they are just super yummy!

Healthy chickpea salad ingredients

This salad is made with super simple, but flavorful ingredients. Here is what you’ll need to make this Mediterranean chickpea salad:

• Chickpeas. Use jarred or canned chickpeas, as they can be used immediately and don’t have to be soaked.
• Vegetables. Cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes and red onion are great for making a healthy chickpea salad. Feel free to make changes as needed.
• Feta cheese. If you want this salad to be vegan, skip the feta cheese. It tastes great either way!
• Parsley. Parsley is a staple in Mediterranean and Turkish cooking. So it definitely has to be part of this salad.
• Homemade lemon vinaigrette. Simply use extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to make a delicious lemon vinaigrette that gives this salad the right amount of spice and zest.

How to make this Mediterranean chickpea salad

Making this healthy chickpea salad is so easy, I probably don’t even have to write instructions. Nevertheless, here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Prepare the salad ingredients. Simply drain and rinse the chickpeas and chop all of the remaining salad ingredients. Add them to a large bowl.
2. Prepare the dressing. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Mix. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir the salad until things are well combined. Add more red pepper flakes, lemon juice or salt and pepper if needed.

Variations

This Mediterranean chickpea salad can be varied in different ways to switch things up. Here are some ideas for you:

• Veggies: You can add the veggies you love to this salad. I sometimes add olives, avocado dices or leafy greens, like baby spinach.
• Dressing: The dressing can be varied by adding red wine vinegar and mustard. It gives the salad a different, yet super delicious taste!
• Spices and herbs: While I think that parsley is an absolute must in this recipe, feel free to reduce the amount of parsley and add some dried herbs, like dried oregano. You can also make this salad spicier by adding more red pepper flakes.

Ideas for serving

There are many different ways to serve this healthy Mediterranean chickpea salad. This is something I absolutely love about this recipe! Here is some inspiration for you:

• Main dish: This salad makes an amazing main dish as it is. But I love to add leafy greens and serve bread on the side when I have this salad as main dish. It makes the perfect quick and healthy lunch!
• Side dish: This chickpea salad makes a great side dish and is the perfect addition to a variety of meals! I love to serve it as a side to salmon or chicken.
• Sandwich, wrap or stuffed pita: Serving this healthy chickpea salad as sandwich, wrap or stuffed pita is a great way to switch things up! If you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, simply use gluten-free tortilla wraps and bread.

Storage tips

This Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe is great if you like to meal prep meals! It doesn’t get soggy and tastes great, even if it is stored for several days. It should keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

More delicious and healthy salad recipes

Having a few go-to salad recipes helps a lot with eating healthy, especially if you have super busy days. Here are some great healthy salad recipes you might love:

• Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Potato Salad
• Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad)
• Pesto Spaghetti Salad
• Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad