This vibrant Greek Chickpea Salad with Feta cheese brings the sunny Mediterranean straight to your table in just 20 minutes.
Fresh, protein-packed, and bursting with classic Greek flavors, this vegetarian dish combines creamy feta, tender chickpeas, and crisp vegetables.
Perfect for busy weekday lunches or as a refreshing side dish, it’s a nutritious bowl that celebrates the simplicity of Greek cuisine. The best part? No cooking required!
Fresh Mediterranean Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Two 14 oz tins, drained and rinsed thoroughly for best texture
- Cherry Tomatoes: 7 oz, choose ripe ones for optimal sweetness
- English Cucumber: Half piece, peeled for a delicate texture
- Red Onion: Half piece, adds a zesty kick
- Kalamata Olives: 2 handfuls, brings authentic Greek flavor
- Fresh Herbs: Dill and mint (1/3 oz each) for aromatic freshness
- Dressing Components: 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Feta Cheese: 5 1/4 oz, adds creamy, tangy finish
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Preparation
- Prepare Chickpeas: Rinse thoroughly under cold water until clear, drain well for best results
- Vegetable Prep: Quarter tomatoes, slice cucumber, finely dice onion, and quarter olives – aim for uniform sizes for perfect bites
- Herb Integration: Roughly chop fresh dill and mint, combine with prepared vegetables and chickpeas
- Dressing Creation: Whisk olive oil and vinegar with seasonings until well combined
- Final Assembly: Gently fold in crumbled feta, ensuring even distribution while maintaining its texture
Variations & Substitutions
This Greek salad is super flexible! No Kalamata olives? Regular black olives work just fine. You can swap the feta for any crumbly cheese you like – goat cheese adds a lovely tangy twist.
If fresh herbs are hard to find, dried dill works in a pinch (use 1 teaspoon instead of fresh). Want to make it vegan?
Skip the feta or use a plant-based alternative. For extra crunch, try adding diced bell peppers or cucumber.
Serving Suggestions
This bright and fresh salad shines as a light lunch on its own, but it’s also amazing alongside grilled pita bread for scooping up all those tasty bits.
Pack it for a picnic or serve it as part of a Mediterranean spread with hummus and flatbreads. Want to make it more filling? Add some cooked quinoa or serve it over a bed of fresh spinach leaves.
Storage Tips
This salad keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. For the best taste and texture, store the dressing separately and add it just before eating.
If you’re meal prepping, layer the ingredients with the tomatoes and cucumbers on top to keep everything crisp. The herbs might darken a bit, but the flavors will stay yummy!
Greek Chickpea salad with Feta cheese
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tins chickpeas (2 x 400g / 14 oz)
- 200 g cherry tomatoes (7 oz)
- 1/2 English cucumber (approx. 160g / 5 1/2 oz)
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 handfuls Kamalata olives
- 10 g fresh dill (1/3 oz)
- 10 g fresh mint (1/3 oz)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 150 g feta (5 1/4 oz)
Instructions
- Drain the chickpeas and rinse them until the cold tap until the water coming out the bottom runs clean. Set aside to let any excess water drain.
- Quarter the cherry tomatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Peel the cucumber and cut into quartered slices. Finely chop the red onion, and quarter the olives, adding the cucumber, onion and olives to the tomato bowl.
- Roughly chop the fresh herbs, and add them to the bowl along with the drained chickpeas.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar along with a generous pinch of salt and a good amount of black pepper. Pour over the salad and stir until everything is coated in the dressing.
- Crumble in the feta, and fold it into the salad carefully, making sure it is coated in the dressing but that it does not break down too much. Check the seasoning to see if it needs any more salt and pepper, and serve.