Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
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Light, fresh, and ready in minutes, this marinated chickpea salad is the kind of no-fuss dish you’ll turn to all year long—perfect on its own or as a side to anything off the grill.
This Mediterranean chickpea salad is inspired by the kind you find at classic Greek diners—simple, lemony, and full of flavor. I first had a version at a diner off the Long Island Expressway while visiting my husband’s family on Long Island, and I’ve been making it ever since.
It’s easy, endlessly versatile, and perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a protein-packed side with grilled chicken, flank steak, cedar plank salmon, or sandwiches. You can even add crumbled feta if you want to bulk it up.
“I’d estimate I make this twice a week & my family inhales it! I substitute whatever fresh herbs I have and sometimes add diced bell peppers. Thanks Jenn!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chickpea Salad
- Red Onion: Adds sharpness, crunch, and color.
- Canned Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans—hearty, creamy, and packed with fiber and protein. Bush’s and Goya are both reliable options with consistent texture and flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds rich, fruity flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: Blended with the olive oil for a lighter, more neutral flavor. Combining olive oil with vegetable oil tones down the bold flavor of the olive oil, giving the dressing a more balanced taste that lets the other ingredients shine.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens everything up with a pop of citrus.
- Fresh Parsley: Brings freshness and color that ties the whole salad together.
- Salt, Black Pepper & Sugar: Just the right mix of seasoning to bring out the flavors and balance the acidity in the dressing.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to make Chickpea Salad
Step 1: Soak the onion. Place the diced onion in a small bowl. Cover with cold water and let sit for 10 minutes, then drain. This tones down the sharpness of the raw onion. (If you love raw onion, you can skip this step—but for a more balanced flavor, soaking is worth it.)
Step 2: Combine the ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the drained onion with the chickpeas, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Step 3: Toss and season. Toss well, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if needed. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Toss again just before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary. The salad keeps nicely in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Chickpea Salad Variations
This chickpea salad is super-flexible—feel free to tweak it based on what you have on hand or what you’re in the mood for. A few easy ways to change it up:
- Stir in a spoonful of capers or chopped olives if you like a briny kick.
- Toss it with baby arugula or spinach for a more substantial, leafy salad.
- Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for a salty, creamy touch.
- Mix in halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, or bell peppers for extra crunch and color.
More Protein-Packed Salad Recipes You May Like
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Zesty, herby, and super satisfying, this chickpea salad is a simple way to round out any meal.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup finely diced red onion, from 1 small red onion
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas (preferably Bush's or Goya), drained and rinsed (see note)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Place the diced onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain. (This step tames the bite of the raw onion.)
- Combine the onions with the remaining ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, and pepper, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss well before serving and adjust seasoning again, if necessary.
- Make-Ahead: The salad can be made and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Note: Different brands of chickpeas contain different levels of salt, so if using a different brand than the one specified, add salt to taste.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 379
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Sodium: 599 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This was good, but I prefer a version with more veggies. I like to add red bell pepper, celery and cucumbers in addition to the onion. I also add a dash or two of hot sauce. I guess I prefer a higher veggies to chickpea ratio.
This is my go-to lunch – it’s delicious if you add chopped avocado, and even some chopped arugula!
My Italian family makes a similar version except it uses one can of garbanzos and one can of kidney beans. I add quite a bit more of garlic and more of sugar. And I use green onions instead.
It is a wonderful second dish and thank you for posting this version – every recipe I’ve tried of yours has been very, very successful
I have made this a couple of times, but in the summer added fresh garden tomatoes, seeds removed. Yum
What diner? I live on Long Island and would love to go there for the chickpeas.
I love getting your recipes. They are without fail delicious.
Hi Jetty, I just asked my husband and he said it was Celebrity Diner in Syosset.
I also add some chopped tomatoes. Delicious.
This salad is delicious. I do add the addition of feta along with some toasted chopped almonds and Greek olives. If I don’t have parsley, I add cilantro.
I do not care for parsley, could this be made with any other type of herb? Thank you!
Sure, Kim – cilantro or dill would both be very good.
Former Long Islander here. Bars were open until 4 am then you hit the diner & many times went straight to work.
And when we walked home we went to the bagel store that was open. A warm bagel for the walk home at 430 am.
Back to the recipe – I grew my own parsley & it really makes a difference with the chick pea salads. I also add cucumbers, no seeds.
Ha! Agree – this would be great with cucumbers. 🙂
Takes me back, Carol, thank you.
Are the nutritional values and calories per serving, or for the whole salad?
Hi Sandy, It’s per serving, but the servings are large.