I want (need) to be eating more veggies and beans, so Greek chickpea salad works overtime in my kitchen. It’s our universal side dish for burgers and sandwiches all year long. I love it as is for lunch, and I’ll top it with tuna, grilled shrimp or salmon for dinner.
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Greek chickpea salad is my kind of salad, I make a variation of it almost every time I entertain, or when I need to bring something to a potluck. It’ll keep in the fridge for days so it’s great for snacking when you need a hit of protein 🙂
This gorgeous chunky salad had lots of colorful crunchy veggies, along with the creaminess of beans, and the brine and bite of the olives and feta. Lemon and some fresh herb or herbs almost always figures into this kind of salad. Today’s Greek themed recipe begged for fresh rosemary, so I obliged.
related chickpea salad recipes:
- Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (Balela)
- Curried Chickpea Salad (vegan or not!)
- Greek Tomato Salad with Salmon
Greek chickpea salad ingredient notes
chickpeas
- I use canned beans, and I rinse and drain them really well. I rinse with cold water to get all the ‘canned’ flavor off, and I dry on a clean kitchen towel because I don’t want extra moisture in my salad.
the veggies ~ we’re sticking with a Greek theme here:
- baby cucumbers
- bell peppers
- cherry tomatoes
- red onions
olives ~ I like to use black and green olives, just make sure they’re pitted.
- kalamata, the large, almond-shaped olives with a deep purple color and smooth, meaty texture are quintessentially Greek.
- you can use milder California black olives, and I like to use pimento stuffed green olives as well.
feta cheese ~ Greek feta is made with sheep’s milk. While cow’s milk feta is common in the U.S., there are producers crafting authentic sheep’s milk feta in states like Wisconsin and Missouri. Use either, it comes down to:
- sheep’s milk feta tends to be tangier and creamier
- cow’s milk feta is milder and crumblier.
Lemon rosemary salad dressing
Bean salads can handle ~ no, they actually need ~ a zesty dressing, otherwise they can be bland, so I take this part of the recipe seriously. This is a Greek style salad and so the dressing will feature 3 Greek favorites: olive oil, rosemary, and lemon. An EVOO, fresh piney rosemary and fresh lemon juice do the job, accented with a little Dijon mustard and honey. I think fresh oregano or dill would work nicely too.
A small food processor comes in handy for emulsifying this dressing, but you can use a bowl and a whisk if you like. The way I see it is that you’ve got to wash something, so why not take the shortcut. Plus I love the way the food processor really gets the most out of that fresh rosemary.
Greek chickpea salad tips
I suggest adding the tomatoes just before serving if you’re planning to make your salad more than an hour or so in advance. They start to deteriorate in the refrigerator.
Sometimes I’ll toss my bean salads with some baby arugula or baby spinach just before serving.
Addition ideas:
- pepperoncini peppers for a subtle heat and tang
- artichoke hearts, marinated or not
- roasted red peppers
- marinated sun dried tomatoes
Need a sub for garbanzo beans? Cannellini beans and Great Northern beans are great choices.
Make your Greek chickpea salad into a grain bowl by tossing with quinoa, couscous, or wheat berries.
Make it an amazing main course salad with grilled shrimp, canned tuna, rotisserie chicken, or salmon!
veganize your chickpea salad
If you eat vegan you don’t have to give up that amazing tang from the feta cheese:
1. Violife Just Like Feta Block
Crafted using coconut oil and other plant-based ingredients, this dairy-free feta is free from lactose, nuts, and artificial preservatives. ​Violife Foods
2. Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles
These crumbles are soy-free, gluten-free, and made with coconut oil. Follow Your Heart
watch me make another Mediterranean bean salad!
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Greek Chickpea Salad
Equipment
- small food processor for dressing optional
Ingredients
- 30 ounces canned chickpeas, drained, well rinsed, and dried
- 1/4 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into thin slivers
- 1 bell pepper, diced , I like to use red, orange, and yellow peppers so I use some of each.
- 2 baby cucumbers, sliced in half moons
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup green and black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil, I use extra virgin
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
Instructions
- Make sure your garbanzo beans are drained, well rinsed, and dried on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.*
- Make the dressing in a small food processor or with a whisk. Whisk everything together vigorously. Taste it and adjust the ingredients as you like.
- Toss the salad with the dressing and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Give the salad a fresh toss before serving.
This salad is a winner. I am serving it with spanakopita. The dressing is so refreshing. And what a salad to top with a protein like salmon or canned tuna.
Sue I’m so glad this came across my Pinterest feed, I subscribe to you but I somehow missed this! I made it for our first dinner on the patio and not only was it gorgeous, everybody gobbled it up. Thanks for another winner !!