Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is an easy, healthy salad made with chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and a light red wine vinaigrette. It is hearty enough to stand alone a light main entree, a delicious side dish, or even as a filling for a chickpea wrap.

Serve this Chickpea Salad on the side of Chicken Gyros or Greek Chicken, or use it to stuff in pita bread with a dollop of Tzatziki Sauce for a delicious wrap. It also makes a great addition to any potluck or barbecue as it can be served at room temperature.

This simple and healthy Chickpea Salad recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and is packed with Mediterranean flavors, like fresh tomatoes, oregano, olives, and feta---some of my favorite foods ever!

It is light, refreshing, super easy to make, yet is hearty thanks to the chickpeas. Which makes this simple salad not only filling enough to be a meal in itself but also light enough to not weigh you down.

The flavors and textures of this chickpea salad are also perfectly balanced. The chickpeas are slightly creamy, the olives add a salty kick, the cucumbers add a crunch and freshness, and the tomatoes add a burst of juicy sweetness. The simple dressing brings everything together with subtle flavors and the feta cheese finishes this salad with a salty bite.

This Chickpea Salad is an uncomplicated, easy recipe that packs an incredible amount of flavor.

Notes on Key Ingredients

• Chickpeas: You can use canned chickpeas or prepare Instant Pot Chickpeas to prepare this salad. If using dried chickpeas, keep in mind you may find you need to adjust the salt after preparing for the best flavor.
• Kalamative Olives: Don't skimp and use black olives, Kalamative olives have superior flavor. Just be sure to purchase pitted olives to save yourself a headache.
• English Cucumber: A regular garden cucumber can be used in place of a seedless cucumber, but you will need to peel and remove seeds before dicing to keep this chickpea salad from getting watery.
• Tomatoes: Any fresh, ripe variety of tomatoes works in this salad. Cherry and grape tomatoes need to be just cut in half, while larger, vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes need to be diced and deseeded.
• Onion: In order for the onion to not overwhelm the salad, choose a sweeter onion, such as a Vidalia or red onion.
• Feta: Crumbled feta cheese adds so much flavor to the chickpea salad, but can be omitted you want a dairy-free or vegan-friendly chickpea salad.
• Salad Dressing: A simple combination of garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and oregano are all that are required for this red wine vinaigrette.

How to Make Chickpea Salad

• In a large bowl toss together the chickpeas, cucumbers, olives, onion, tomatoes, and feta, if using, together in a large bowl.

• In a small bowl whisk together the red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, garlic, and olive oil until well combined.

• Drizzle dressing over chickpea mixture and toss to combine.
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes for optimum flavor.

Serving Suggestions

This Meditteranean Chickpea salad is incredibly versatile and can be served chilled or at room temperature and in a variety of different ways.

• Serve as a hearty salad or a light meatless entree.
• Fill pita bread with the Chickpea Salad and a dollop of Tzatziki sauce.
• Serve with pita chips as a refreshing dip at a party.
• Use as a filling for an omelet for a unique breakfast.
• Served as a side dish with dishes such as Grilled Greek Chicken.

Storage Instructions

Chickpea Salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. However, I find it has the best texture when used after 3 days, as the cucumbers can get a bit soggy.

Recipe Variations

• Feel to add in up roasted peppers, pepperoncini, green olives, capers, or parsley, for additional flavor.
• For a Vegan Chickpea Salad or a dairy-free salad, simply omit the feta cheese. You may need an additional ½-1 teaspoon salt to replace the saltiness that the feta provides.
• If you don't like onions, omit them!

More Easy Mediterranean Recipes

• Tabbouleh Salad
• Mediterranean Couscous
• Mediterranean Frittata
• Greek Quinoa Salad
• Mediterranean Chicken Skillet
• Greek Pinwheels

Whether you are serving this chickpea salad as a simple side dish, using to fill pita bread, or serving as a salad, I would love to hear how you enjoyed it! 

This post was originally published in 2017 but was updated in 2020 with new process shots and tips.