Greek chickpea salad is filled with flavor and packed with fresh ingredients. Served cold, this salad is perfect for lunch, as a side dish, or for your next potluck.
You're going to love this Greek chickpea salad because it's quick, easy, and filled with fresh summer ingredients. There's nothing better than a light and flavorful cold salad on a hot day!
The best part about this recipe is that there's no cooking involved. It's packed with simple ingredients like canned chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and olives. An easy homemade vinaigrette adds bright, fresh flavor that you're going to love!
Serve Greek chickpea salad for a quick cold lunch or side dish for your next potluck. It goes great with burgers or grilled lemon pepper chicken!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chickpeas - You'll need one 15 ounce can of chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, for this recipe. If you have dried chickpeas on hand, they'll need to be soaked, cooked, and cooled before preparing this recipe.
- Feta cheese - Can be substituted with any cheese you have on hand, like goat cheese, blue cheese, or mozzarella pearls.
- Vegetables - Cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cucumber add fresh flavor and bulk to the salad. If you don't like one of the vegetables listed, feel free to substitute with one that you do enjoy.
- Olives - Add salty, savory flavor to the salad. If you don't like olives, they can be omitted entirely.
- Lemon juice - I recommend using fresh lemon juice for a bright, fresh flavor. If you don't have lemon juice on hand, it can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar if needed.
- Olive oil - I recommend extra virgin olive oil for dressings.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and garlic powder add flavor to the dressing.
- Parsley - Adds a bright, fresh, and peppery flavor to your salad. Parsley could be substituted with fresh chopped mint or dill for a different flavor.
Tips and tricks
Drain and rinse your chickpeas - After opening your canned chickpeas, pour them into a colander and run under tap water to rinse them. Shake excess water off before assembling your salad.
Dress your salad just before serving - Once dressed, the veggies begin to break down and soften. Your salad is best when dressed just before serving.
Storage
Greek chickpea salad is best served the same day as assembled for best flavor and texture.
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator but vegetables will soften over time.
Frequently asked questions
If you'd like to make your chickpea salad ahead, I highly recommend storing the dressing separately until just before serving. Stored separately, your salad ingredients can be made a day ahead. The vegetables will begin to soften and break down once dressed, so don't add your dressing until just before serving.
Yes, the dressing ingredients can be substituted with about 3 tablespoons of your favorite bottled vinaigrette dressing if needed.
No, canned chickpeas are already cooked and don't need additional cooking. If you'd like to use dried chickpeas, they must be soaked, cooked, and cooled before preparing this recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Greek Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine rinsed chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, feta cheese, and parsley. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine. Pour over chickpea mixture and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately. If not serving immediately, wait to add dressing until just before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- This recipe makes four entree/lunch size portions or six side dish portions.
- If making ahead, keep the salad dressing separate, then toss just before serving.
- Salad will keep for 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Vegetables will begin to break down once tossed in the dressing, so salad is best served the same day.
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