This easy Mediterranean chickpea salad is infused with flavor thanks to a heaping helping of fresh herbs and a garlicky lemon dressing, plus lots of crunch from red bell pepper, celery, and red onion. Serve it as a hearty vegetarian side dish or spoon over a bed of greens.
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“We love this salad! We have made it a few times and use it for a topping over other greens.” Lorie, FoodieCrush reader
This Chickpea Salad Recipe Comes From One of my Good Friends
Are you sick of me repeating myself yet? I’ve said it before and I’ll likely say it 9,349 more times again: Salads are my favorite. I’m far more tempted by a plate with a sampling of four varieties of salads than a plate of four desserts.
That’s why this chickpea herb salad, in all of it’s understated simplicity, is proof positive that eating real, whole foods doesn’t have to be a complicated affair when simplicity radiates from the whole ingredients its made with.
I cannot take credit for creating this salad. Its glory in flavor comes from one of my good blogging friends who has just authored her first cookbook, Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate.
Kathryne’s recipe for this Mediterranean chickpea salad is simple in its approach and calls for ingredients I nearly always have on hand, making it one of those recipes you can totally pull off at a moment’s notice when you ask the question, “What am I going to serve with my main dish?”
Enjoy!
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chickpeas — You’ll need two cans of chickpeas for this recipe, or about 3 cups. Drain and rinse them well before adding to the salad.
- Bell pepper — Kathryne uses sweet red bell pepper in her version, so I followed her lead. You’re welcome to swap in earthy green bell pepper or another favorite color.
- Fresh parsley — Really any fresh herb will work in this lemony chickpea salad, but I used parsley since it’s inexpensive and gives the salad a tabbouleh-esque flavor.
- Red onion — If red onion is too strong for you, run it under cold tap water after chopping to remove its sting.
- Celery — Adds tons of crunch.
- Lemon dressing — A glug of olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and garlic are whisked together to make the simple dressing.
How to Make This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Drain the chickpeas. The bulk of the recipe comes from canned chickpeas, a staple I always recommend having in the cupboard. Simply drain and rinse and you’re on your way.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl alongside the chopped bell pepper, onion, parsley, and celery.
- Dress and serve. Whisk together the simple lemon dressing and pour over the chickpea mixture. Toss to coat, then serve immediately.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
I love the leaves plucked from fresh, crunchy celery so while Kathryne’s version didn’t actually call for it, I plucked the leaves from my stalks, gave them a rough chop, and added them to the salad. There really is no reason to toss them out for any dish.
The amount of chopped fresh parsley may seem like a whole lot of parsley, but that’s the point! Don’t skimp on the amount, or you’ll be sacrificing flavor.
This salad is intended to be served on its own, but as Kathryne suggests, it’s a delicious topping for a bed of lettuces, too. Naturally, I added a few mozzarella balls to mine with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon, too.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas , rinsed and drained (approx. 3 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1 medium red bell pepper , chopped
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 1 bunch)
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped celery plus leaves (about 2 ribs)
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 1 ½ lemons)
- 2 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, bell pepper, parsley, red onion, and celery.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic, and season to taste with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the dressing to the chickpea mixture and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately or chill up to 4 days. Before serving, add more salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredient Swaps and Additions
- Add pitted Kalamata olives or capers for a briny bite
- Add marinated artichoke hearts for flavor
- Swap the parsley for fresh basil, oregano, thyme, or marjoram
- Use green onions or chives instead of red onion
- Replace the lemon dressing with Greek dressing or balsamic vinaigrette
- Make this a main dish salad by adding Greek chicken, garlic shrimp, or grilled salmon
What to Serve with Your Chickpea Salad
More Chickpea Salads to Try
Read more of Cookie + Kate here, and purchase Love Real Food here.
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Diane O'Halloran
I thought this was yummy. I used 1 can of chick peas and 1 can of cannelini beans and it was perfect.
Great idea on mixing up the beans Diane. Thx for the tip and the 5-star rating!
Lorie Easton
We love this salad! We have made it a few times and use it for a topping over other greens. Very healthy!
Glad you enjoyed Lorie!
Ali
Amazing
Jo Ann
Didn’t have any fresh herbs but had some organic “dinosaur kale”, I chopped it up in small bits, added cucumber and followed the rest of the recipe. It is delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
Happy to hear you enjoyed!
Nancy
I love a chickpea salad. The problem is that I can eat a huge bowl full.
Lee Ann Olsen
I just started the Mediterranean diet for the new year 2022. This was delicious. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed!