Express meals at its finest. This Mediterranean style chickpea salad with feta is ready in 10 minutes. Perfect for a satisfying lunch, tasty side dish or even meal prep ahead.
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Why You’ll Love Our Chickpea Salad with Feta
I am always a big fan of quick and easy lunches, especially when running around the kids and work. And I hate eating something that is crap just because I have run out of time.
This chickpea salad with feta is a great option for a refreshing yet hearty meal. I literally whipped it up in 10 minutes and had a filling meal ready to go.
It’s so simple to make, no cooking involved and you most likely have all the ingredients in the fridge and pantry. Better yet, it is the perfect recipe for meal prep and can be stored in the fridge for a few days.
Inspired by Greek salad flavours, I mix chickpeas with cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, parsley and creamy feta cheese for a vibrant Mediterranean style chickpea salad. The lemony garlic dressing we used in our quinoa salad really helps lift all the freshness and adds extra zing. So yum.
And with no leafy greens in the mix, you can prep ahead this chickpea salad recipe for BBQs, potlucks or outdoor parties. Guarantee your guests will love all the vibrant colours and fresh flavours.
Canned vs Dried Chickpeas
We do like to use chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, in our cooking. They are such a versatile ingredient and packed with plant protein. Salads with chickpeas make hearty meals.
Chickpea mash is one of my latest obsessions. So good with our pickled beet salad.
Can also roast in the air-fryer to make a tasty chickpea snack or added to roasted cauliflower for a delicious side dish. Plus, it is the quintessential ingredient in popular street food falafels. They make a great vegan salad meal.
Dried chickpeas, in general, will provide more depth in flavour and can be stored in the pantry for a long time. However, they do take longer to cook, plus soaking time. If you have an instant pot, you can save some extra time as you cook chickpeas in an instant without soaking.
I normally use canned chickpeas because they are so much quicker to prepare, very affordable and easy to store. However, some do find canned chickpeas to have a “tinny” taste. Personally doesn’t affect me so much.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: I love the hearty, nutty flavours of chickpeas mixed with salty feta and all the refreshing vegetables. The contrasting textures and flavours work a treat in this chickpea salad recipe.
Together with the zippy lemon garlic dressing, this Mediterranean chickpea salad is fresh, vibrant and satisfying.
Ease: Too easy to even explain. A great beginner salad recipe to start with.
Time: You only need to spare 10 minutes or maybe a little longer if you are going to make a double batch for meal prep. No doubt a quick salad recipe.
Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need for chickpea salad with feta:
Chickpeas: This recipe calls for canned chickpeas as they are easy for me. You do not need to pre-cook canned chickpeas. Just drain and give them a rinse before use.
Corn: I have used canned corn in this recipe only because I want something quick and easy. Choose a quality brand to ensure freshness.
Cucumber: Fresh cucumber adds crunch and clean sweetness. My go-to cucumbers are normally Lebanese cucumbers but garden or continental cucumbers work well.
Tomatoes: I like to use cherry tomatoes but any variety that is fresh and in season is great. Chop larger tomatoes into smaller pieces.
Bell peppers: Any colour bell peppers are fine, but I do prefer red bell peppers.
Parsley: Mediterranean style salads would not be without herbs. Parsley is my favourite for this mix, but you can choose your own variety too.
Feta cheese: I just love how feta adds a salty and creamy element to the salad. No extra seasoning is needed.
Lemon juice: You can try other vinegars in the salad dressing but I prefer lemon juice in this recipe because of the citrus flavours against the fresh seasonal vegetables.
Garlic: Adds just enough punch to the overall flavour. I prefer to grate my garlic so it melds into the vinaigrette well.
Variations and Substitutions
Fresh corn: I actually prefer fresh corn in my salads, but to save time in this recipe, I chose to use canned corn. Preferably avoid frozen corn for a fresh salad.
Other cheese: If you don’t like feta, you can switch it to another type of cheese. Try baby bocconcini, grilled halloumi cubes or marinated goat cheese.
Vegan / Dairy free option: Substitute feta with your favourite vegan brand or omit it. Avocado is a great addition if you like to add a soft, creamy element.
Dried chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas because this is a quick recipe! However, you can use dried chickpeas and cook them as per instructions. For one can of chickpeas, use ½ cup of dried chickpeas.
Different herbs: You can switch parsley for basil, mint, dill or even a combination of your favourite herbs.
Other ingredients: This simple salad recipe is flexible enough for you to replace or add other ingredients to make your own hearty chickpea salad. Try other ingredients like olives, avocado, red onion or capers.
Instructions
Step by step instructions for how to make chickpea salad with feta:
How to Make The Salad
Open and drain canned chickpeas. I like to give canned chickpeas a rinse before using to remove any excess starch and/or skin.
Open and drain canned corn.
Slice cucumbers in quarters lengthwise and chop into small pieces.
Cut cherry tomatoes into halves.
Slice red bell pepper in half and remove seeds. Cut into bite size pieces.
Roughly chop parsley.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Dressing
In a mason jar, add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.
Shake until well combined.
How to Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients except for feta.
Pour salad dressing on top and toss to combine.
Crumb feta on top of salad and gently toss it through.
Serve.
How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)
Rinse the canned chickpeas: Don’t forget to rinse the chickpeas after you drain from can. This is to remove any excess coating on the chickpeas and will help make the chickpeas easier to digest. And apparently less gassy. These salad recipes also have ingredients that make you less gassy!
Chop the vegetables similar size: Having similar sized vegetables makes it more pleasant to eat. Who wants a huge chunk of cucumber or bell peppers popping into their salad?
Keep feta separately in meal prep: If you are preparing this chickpea salad recipe ahead of time, leave the feta out until ready to serve. I prefer this way and it keeps the salad longer and fresher.
Great Mains for This Salad
A delicious side like our chickpea salad with feta deserves an equally delicious main dish:
If you love a classic steakhouse-style beef burger, this recipe will be your new go to.
Otherwise you can also try these easy to make baked BBQ chicken with the bone in or for meatless Monday, this artichoke and spinach ravioli bake just might make the cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference. Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same legumes but just different names.
Yes, definitely can make chickpea salad ahead of time. I prefer to keep the feta separately and add it when ready to eat. This is a great meal prep salad recipe because you can make up to 2 days in advance.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure you give the salad a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
This is such a versatile salad dressing that will store in the fridge for a few more days. You can also use with our tricolour quinoa salad with roasted vegetables.
When you need something that is quick and tastes incredible, our chickpea salad with feta is your go-to recipe. The fresh Mediterranean flavours with cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and parsley make this salad with chickpea so satisfying and delicious.
That’s all!
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Recipe
Chickpea Salad with Feta
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 can chickpeas, 400g/14oz
- 1 can corn kernels, 400g/14oz
- 1 cucumber, Lebanese
- 1 red pepper, small
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 g Greek feta
- ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
Salad
- Open and drain canned chickpeas. Give chickpeas a rinse under water before using.
- Open and drain canned corn.
- Chop cucumber into small pieces
- Cut cherry tomatoes into halves.
- Slice and cut bell peppers into bite size pieces.
- Roughly chop parsley
Salad Dressing
- In a mason jar, add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Shake until well combined.
Assembly
- In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients except for feta.
- Pour dressing on top and toss to combine.
- Crumb feta on top of salad and gently toss it through.
- Serve.
Notes
- Make sure you rinse the canned chickpeas before using.
- If you don’t like feta, you can switch it to another type of cheese. Try baby bocconcini, grilled halloumi cubes or marinated goat cheese.
- For a vegan/dairy free option, substitute feta with your favourite vegan brand or omit it.
- You can use dried chickpeas and cook them as per instructions. For one can of chickpeas, use ½ cup of dried chickpeas.
- If you don’t have parsley, switch for basil, mint, dill or even a combination of your favourite herbs.
- When meal prepping ahead of time, store salad in an airtight container in fridge but leave the feta out until ready to serve.
- This simple chickpea recipe is flexible enough for you to replace or add other ingredients like olives, avocado, red onion or capers.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
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