Fresh Chickpea Salad (Printable Version)

Tender chickpeas mixed with fresh vegetables and lemon dressing for a light, refreshing dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper, and parsley.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as necessary to balance flavors.
05 - Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes flat, no cooking required, which means lunch doesn't derail your whole day.
  • The more you let it sit, the better it tastes—make it ahead and forget about dinner stress.
  • It's naturally filling enough to stand alone but also plays beautifully alongside grilled fish or roasted chicken.
02 -
  • Don't dress this salad more than a few hours ahead or the cucumber will start to weep and dilute everything—timing matters more than you'd think for something so simple.
  • The quality of your lemon juice changes everything; use a fresh lemon you've rolled and squeezed rather than the bottled version, and the whole dish tastes like it came from a different kitchen.
03 -
  • Let your chickpeas come to room temperature before dressing them—cold chickpeas won't absorb the flavors the way warm ones will, even if just slightly warm.
  • Taste the tomatoes and cucumber before committing them to the salad, because sometimes they're mealy or watery, and knowing that changes how much salt you'll need in the dressing.

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