This Chickpea Feta Salad recipe makes a colorful and fresh Mediterranean salad. You'll need fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, parsley, olives, and feta cheese to pull it together! The salty feta cheese and olives are the perfect complement to the chickpeas and veggies. It's a delicious vegetarian salad and made with high-quality fruity extra-virgin olive oil.
What You Need For The Salad
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are found in cans next to the canned beans at the grocery store. They can be eaten straight from the can, but before using them, place them in a colander and run cold water over them to remove excess starch. You can discard any loose skins that fall off. For this recipe, you will use a whole can of chickpeas.
Feta Cheese
Feta, cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk. The Greek feta cheeses are from pasture-raised animals, making some of the imported feta cheeses better options than some of their American counterparts. If you have trouble with dairy, you can leave it out.
Olives
For the olives, look for those preserved in just water and salt. You can also use Kalamata olives packed in oil.
Ingredients For The Dressing
For the dressing, you need:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic
- Fresh or dried oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
Olive oil
Use your best fruity extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing. Cold pressed organic olive oil, such as Kasandrinos from Greece, is a great choice.
How to Dice a Cucumber
Slice cucumber in half vertically. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.
Slice each half into long strips and then slice crosswise to a ½-inch dice.
How To Assemble the Salad
Whisk the dressing ingredients together; set aside. Dice the salad ingredients and add to a mixing bowl. Gently fold the dressing into the salad. Cover the salad with plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour, allowing flavors to blend.
How to Store The Salad
Store the salad in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you can, store the dressing separately.
For Know the Cause dieters:
Good news! Chickpeas and feta cheese are good for the Know the Cause Phase 2 diet. They are full of protein and very filling.
Look for organic olives preserved in just water and salt without citric acid.
While most Dijon mustard is produced with white vinegar, Whole Foods 365 brand is made with apple cider vinegar and is what I use at home.
Serving Suggestions
Chickpea Feta Salad is a cold and refreshing salad that is a great side dish for chicken dishes and or used to top a bowl of mixed greens. Of course, you can eat it right from the bowl as a complete meal.
Try this chickpea salad with Pan Seared Chicken Breasts, Sautéed Skirt Steak, or top the salad with Blackened Shrimp.
Chickpea Feta Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- juice of one medium lemon
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 small or 1 large garlic clove pressed in garlic press or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 (15 oz) can organic chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley flat or curly leaf
- 1 cup black olives
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Mix the salad ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Gently fold the dressing into the salad.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
