This Mediterranean chickpea salad with feta is made with chickpeas, crisp cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. It is fresh, colorful, and easy to serve as a vegetarian lunch, potluck salad, or side dish with grilled chicken, burgers, or seafood.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta
This chickpea salad is a simple no-cook recipe that works well for summer dinners, potlucks, meal prep, or quick lunches. The chickpeas make it hearty, while the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and feta keep it fresh and flavorful.
The lemon vinaigrette is light and tangy, so the salad can be served cold or at room temperature. It also holds up better than lettuce-based salads, which makes it a good make-ahead option.
Ingredients for Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
This salad is made with chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Try to cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so the salad is easy to scoop and every bite has a little of everything.
For the dressing, you’ll need olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Red wine vinegar also works if you prefer a sharper Mediterranean-style vinaigrette.
Make-Ahead Tips
This salad can be made ahead, but it is best to drain the chickpeas well and avoid adding extra liquid from the tomatoes or cucumber. If making it several hours ahead, toss the salad with only part of the dressing, then add more right before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving, and add a little extra lemon juice or vinegar if the flavor needs refreshing.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Serve this chickpea feta salad as a vegetarian lunch, a potluck side, or a fresh side dish with grilled meats and seafood. It pairs well with:
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 6 servings, as side dish 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A fresh Mediterranean chickpea salad with feta, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, and a simple lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 15-ounce cans no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Lemon Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta, and cherry tomatoes.
- In a mason jar or small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk until combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir before serving and adjust with extra lemon juice, vinegar, salt, or pepper if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Salt: Feta and Kalamata olives are salty, so start with less salt and add more to taste.
Make-ahead: If making this salad ahead, drain the chickpeas well and add only part of the dressing at first. Toss with more dressing right before serving if needed.
Red onion: For a milder onion flavor, soak the sliced red onion in ice water for 5–10 minutes, then drain.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA AND FETA SALAD
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I make something like this every week and put it in a big bowl in the fridge. We eat it as is, as a salad topper, and even in a pita as a sandwich
Very good and easy. Great dressing.
thank you for trying it
Healthy with protein and not feeling bloated or stuffed, just nutritionally satisfied. Have also added tuna in chunks on top
This is one of my favorite things I’ve found on Pinterest! So good! I keep forgetting to take a picture!
I use RED WINE VINEGAR which is what we Greeks use
I really liked it and it’s so healthy. I think I will add avocado next time.
really enjoyed this salad for those hot summer nights
Made it today...used red wine vinegar and Vidalia onion..added oregano and garlic powder..ommited parsley and lemon juice...it was a hit!
Just came across this recipe, looks fabulous!!
How can you give it 5 Stars if you have not even made it yet?
I added some avocado to mine. Delicious!
I make this EVERY week to meal prep my lunch for work! I also make quinoa and top with this salad and hummus. I love how healthy it is but it is also so delicious! added two juiced lemons and it was a game changer for the flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rachel - I'm so glad you like this salad so much, it's one of my favorites as well. It's so versatile and quinoa is also one of my favorites! I'm going to try adding it to this salad. thanks!
Love it! ❤️ Going to make this more often. l added a small amount of honey, 1 teaspoon.
Excellent, I have made it serval times
Great flavor, and color!
I always buy the whole Broccoli so that I can save and peel the stalks to chop up and put in most salads that I make. It is so good! So i did add the broccoli and an avacado to this wonderful salad, plus I added some oregano along with a whole squeezed lemon, drizzeled in the Olive Oil while whisking. Man, what a great salad!! Thanks for the recipe!
How many servings is this? Thanks!
We loved it. My husband is Lebanese decent 100%. Right away he said that it needs more lemon juice. More lemon kicked it up a huge notch. I chopped the rest of the parsley and threw it all in the salad. That was delicious too!
that's funny you said that Linda b/c I just started an email series (if you sign up to receive our newsletter) that talks about making a recipe your own and adding lemon is one of the topics! I totally agree with your husband - MORE LEMON!
This is absolutely delicious and pretty too! I will definitely be making. This again and again. Thank you for sharing!
This recipe is so good! I’ve been making it once a week for the last month. Definitely one I’d like to keep and make on a regular basis. The ingredients all work so well together and I love having leftovers of it for lunch.
This was so tasty! Perfect dressing, and nice combination of flavors with crisp and tart vs the smooth chick peas. Very good! I did cut the salt with the salty feta, figuring I could always add more later, but didn’t need it.