Mediterranean Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Basil (Printable Version)
Protein-packed chickpeas meet crisp vegetables and fresh herbs in a tangy lemon dressing. Perfect for quick lunches or light dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables & Legumes
01 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - ½ small red onion, finely chopped
→ Fresh Herbs
05 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
10 - ½ tsp sea salt
11 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
13 - 2 tbsp Kalamata olives, sliced
# How To Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, sliced basil, and chopped parsley.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified and well combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently with serving utensils to coat all ingredients evenly without bruising the herbs.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Top with crumbled feta cheese and sliced Kalamata olives if desired.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you get to eat in fifteen minutes flat.
- The lemon olive oil dressing seeps into the chickpeas overnight and turns leftovers into something even better than day one.
02 -
- I once made this six hours ahead and the cucumbers leaked so much water that the dressing pooled at the bottom, so keep it to two hours max if you are making it in advance.
- The garlic in the dressing gets stronger the longer it sits, which is either a wonderful thing or a problem depending on your evening plans.
03 -
- Shake the dressing in a mason jar instead of whisking it, the emulsion comes together faster and you can store any extra right in the same jar.
- Drying the chickpeas thoroughly after rinsing them prevents the dressing from getting watery and diluting the flavor.