Easy Chickpea Salad
I can’t get enough of this easy chickpea salad recipe with lemon and dill. I’ve been making this delicious salad with chickpeas for years and fall in love all over again every time I do. Thanks to the dill and lemon vinaigrette, this chickpea salad has the most delicious Mediterranean vibe. It’s super fresh, incredibly flavorful, and perfectly filling as a healthy, speedy lunch or dinner (thanks to those hearty chickpeas!). If you’ve been following our recipes, you know we love chickpeas (proof: literally all our other chickpea recipes!). This was one of the first salads we ever shared, and I’ve been making it regularly ever since. And since we’re clearly on the same page about chickpeas, you’ll probably love our cauliflower chickpea salad and this fantastic smashed chickpea salad (which makes an epic sandwich!) Key Ingredients Chickpeas: For the easiest salad, use drained canned chickpeas. If you prefer cooking them from scratch, we also have this recipe for cooking chickpeas! Cucumber: I love the crunch of cucumber in this salad and use thin-skinned varieties like Hot House, English, or Persian cucumbers. For regular garden cucumbers, peel the thick skin and scoop out any large seeds. Tomato: Fresh tomatoes add color and sweetness to this salad. Use your favorite variety and chop them into bite-size pieces. Feta cheese: Briny feta cheese makes this salad so delicious, but you can substitute other cheeses like creamy goat cheese or crumbly Cojita cheese. Leave it out for a vegan chickpea salad (it’s still incredible without the cheese). Fresh dill: I use a lot of fresh dill in this salad. If you don’t have dill on hand, other tender herbs like mint, parsley, or a blend of herbs work wonders, too. Lemon dill dressing: For the dressing, I use a similar lemony vinaigrette in our couscous salad and cauliflower salad. You will combine fresh lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. It’s incredibly easy and tastes fantastic! Chickpeas: For the easiest salad, use drained canned chickpeas. If you prefer cooking them from scratch, we also have this recipe for cooking chickpeas! Cucumber: I love the crunch of cucumber in this salad and use thin-skinned varieties like Hot House, English, or Persian cucumbers. For regular garden cucumbers, peel the thick skin and scoop out any large seeds. Tomato: Fresh tomatoes add color and sweetness to this salad. Use your favorite variety and chop them into bite-size pieces. Feta cheese: Briny feta cheese makes this salad so delicious, but you can substitute other cheeses like creamy goat cheese or crumbly Cojita cheese. Leave it out for a vegan chickpea salad (it’s still incredible without the cheese). Fresh dill: I use a lot of fresh dill in this salad. If you don’t have dill on hand, other tender herbs like mint, parsley, or a blend of herbs work wonders, too. Lemon dill dressing: For the dressing, I use a similar lemony vinaigrette in our couscous salad and cauliflower salad. You will combine fresh lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. It’s incredibly easy and tastes fantastic! My trick for the easiest salad is to make your dressing right in the big bowl in which you plan to toss your salad. Then, just build your salad from there! It truly takes less than 15 minutes. I’m happy to eat this all by itself (it’s that good!), but I also absolutely love stuffing it into warm, homemade pita or serving it with this quicker flatbread. You can even serve it over salad greens or cooked quinoa. And honestly, it’s excellent on a mezze platter with homemade hummus, creamy tzatziki, pickled vegetables, and falafel. Can’t wait for you to try it!! Easy Chickpea Salad PREP 15 mins TOTAL 15 mins PREP 15 mins TOTAL 15 mins This easy chickpea salad is one of our favorite salads. It’s delicious, quick, and so simple. Eat this straight out of the bowl or use it to top salad greens. We love the combination of lemon and dill, but the salad is just as delicious with other fresh herbs. Try basil, parsley, or even fresh mint. You can enjoy this salad all by itself (it’s hearty enough), or add some extra protein to round out the meal. Try juicy baked chicken breasts, lemon dill salmon, or cilantro lime butter shrimp. Makes approximately 6 (1/2 cup) servings Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 2 (15oz) cans chickpeas or 3 cups (500g) cooked chickpeas 1 medium thin-skinned cucumber, like hot house or Persian, chopped 6 small tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill or mint 2 ounces (55g) feta cheese 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, or more to taste 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 to 2 lemons 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper Directions 1Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk the mustard, honey, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and the olive oil. 2Make the salad: Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to the bowl with the dressing. Add the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and dill. Crumble over the feta, then toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and/or pepper as needed. 1Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk the mustard, honey, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and the olive oil. 2Make the salad: Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to the bowl with the dressing. Add the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and dill. Crumble over the feta, then toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and/or pepper as needed. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Chickpea salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. However, as the salad sits, the cucumbers and tomatoes will release their juices, making the dressing more flavorful, but the cucumbers and tomatoes will soften. If you want the freshest salad (say for entertaining), you can make the salad without the tomatoes and cucumber, then add them right before serving. Vegan chickpea salad: Leave out the feta cheese and substitute maple syrup for the honey in the dressing. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Chickpea salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. However, as the salad sits, the cucumbers and tomatoes will release their juices, making the dressing more flavorful, but the cucumbers and tomatoes will soften. If you want the freshest salad (say for entertaining), you can make the salad without the tomatoes and cucumber, then add them right before serving. Vegan chickpea salad: Leave out the feta cheese and substitute maple syrup for the honey in the dressing. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/2 cup / Calories 276 / Protein 10 g / Carbohydrate 30 g / Dietary Fiber 8 g / Total Sugars 8 g / Total Fat 14 g / Saturated Fat 3 g / Cholesterol 8 mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us Previous Post: Perfect Baked Mac and Cheese Next Post: Perfect Juicy Grilled Chicken