This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a vibrant mix of chickpeas, black beans, and fresh veggies, all tossed in a sweet and tangy salad dressing that’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors. It’s our Greek-inspired take on classic cowboy caviar! You can serve it as a light and refreshing appetizer to kick off your meal or enjoy it as a satisfying main course that’s sure to keep you fueled and satisfied.
Table of Contents
Chickpeas vs. Garbanzo Beans
We often get questions about the difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans. The truth is, there is none! They’re the same thing and can be used interchangeably. Either way, they’re little tan-colored pods that are part of the legume family and are commonly found in vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Are Chickpeas Healthy?
Yes! Chickpeas are nutritional powerhouses and are loaded with fiber, nutrients, and plant-based protein to keep you full and satisfied!
Chickpea Salad Ingredients
For the Dressing
- Olive Oil – Mild in flavor and full of healthy fats, olive oil helps form the base of the dressing.
- Lemon Juice – Lemon juice helps add a slightly acidic element that lightens up the heaviness of the oil and pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the dressing.
- Vinegar – Vinegar elevates the acidity of this dish and acts as a preservative, keeping your chickpea salad fresh!
- Herbs and Spices – We included salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin for a Mediterranean-inspired flavor. Feel free to experiment, and add ingredients to fit your preferences.
- Honey – The secret to taking this dressing to the next level, adding just a touch of honey boosts the antioxidant profile even more and creates an irresistible sweet flavor you’ll love!
For the Salad
- Chickpeas – You can boil uncooked chickpeas, but we prefer the canned versions to make this salad super fast.
- Black Beans – Again, we opt for canned black beans, but use whatever you have on hand!
- Cucumbers – For the best texture, we recommend using English cucumbers or baby cucumbers. They have thinner skins, making them easier to chop and bite into.
- Red Onion – Red onions contain more antioxidants than white onions and have a slightly spicier flavor we prefer for this chickpea salad.
- Herbs – We opted for cilantro and parsley for a super refreshing taste! If you don’t like cilantro, you could use chives or dill instead. Whichever herbs you pick, just make sure they’re fresh!
- Tomatoes – For a slightly sweeter flavor, we prefer Roma or cherry tomatoes.
- Olives – We used a combination of green olives and Kalamata olives so as to minimize the saltiness and bitterness of this dish. If you prefer, you can use just one kind.
How to Make a Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Start with the Dressing
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients.
- Shake or stir until smooth and creamy.
Toss the Salad
- Rinse and drain the beans.
- Chop all the veggies.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing on top.
- Toss to combine.
Flavor Variations
This chickpea salad recipe is super filling and flavorful as it is, but it can easily be customized to fit your preferences! Some of our favorite variations are listed below.
Add Protein. If you’re not following a vegan or vegetarian diet, this chickpea salad pairs great with grilled chicken or shrimp for even more protein.
Sprinkle in Feta. For a creamier taste, you can never go wrong with a sprinkle of feta cheese!
Bulk It Up with Quinoa. If you want a slightly heartier salad, cooked quinoa makes for a great plant-based addition.
Mix In Avocado. For extra healthy fats, fiber, and nutrients, we love to toss in sliced avocado, too!
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time?
We love to prepare this chickpea salad in advance. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, we don’t recommend freezing it as it will become soggy once thawed.
Tip: Make Meal Prep Jars!
We love to layer this salad in mason jars for easy prep and single portion options we can grab and go throughout the week. To do so:
- Pour the dressing into the jars.
- Layer the ingredients from heaviest to lightest, starting with the beans.
- Add the chicken and greens, and seal the jars.
- Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Then, invert the salad onto a plate or bowl, and it will dress itself!
More Chickpea Salad Recipes
If you’re crazy about chickpeas like we are, then you’re in for a treat! Check out these other awesome recipes that put the tasty little legumes front and center.
- As vibrant in flavor as it is in color, this One Pot Greek Couscous is nourishing, refreshing, and quick to make!
- Easily customizable to fit your needs, this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a delicious powerhouse of a recipe that’s packed full of nutrients, too.
- This Vegan Roasted Eggplant Salad is made with fresh ingredients and a homemade tahini dressing you’re going to love.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon honey
For the Salad
- 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 2 cups chopped cucumbers
- 1 large red onion chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped green olives
- 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Mix to combine.¼ cup olive oil, 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon vinegar, Salt to taste, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 Tablespoon honey
- Chop the veggies.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine.2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, 2 cups chopped cucumbers, 1 large red onion, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh cilantro, 2 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 cup chopped green olives, 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made this and cannot stop eating eat. This one’s going on regular rotation!
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying it out, Lisa. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I have to say this was Absolutely Incredible! I can eat this everyday twice, three times a day but Im looking forward to trying al. your other Delicious 😋 foods. you both are Absolutely Awesome and Gorgeous Ladies 💗😍. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
I’d love to portion this out to eat over a week’s time. Says it makes 8 servings…can you estimate how large a serving is? 1 cup? More/Less?
Also I think the one reviewer might have been talking about the lovely “marble” bowl that was used for the whole salad. Has a very pretty outline.
Thank you, Marci! We’d guesstimate a serving is about a cup. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
looks delish… did I miss the link for the containers? They are a perfect size!
Hi Joan! Which containers do you mean?
You can find our favorite items here and here, but we’re happy to provide a link!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
What do you eat it with? It’s not a salad? It’s caviar? Cowboy caviar is eaten with nachos?
We love to eat it with chips or pita. Or, you can serve it with your favorite protein!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
It took me 10 minutes to chop the veg and I don’t have knive skills lol. DELICIOUS! I added feta cheese and used white wine vinegar instead of reg vinegar. Perfect amout of dressing and I loved the little hint of honey.So fresh and tasty, thank you 😋
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying it out, Laura!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
what type of vinegar are you using for this recipe
white vinegar!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I made this yesterday. I didn’t have canned black beans but had pkg of dried. Rather than wait, I put beans in pressure cooker and they were ready in 30 minutes!
My husband loved this salad! He kept saying “This is so good!” I loved it as well! Delish!
Yay! Thank you so much. We’re so glad you were able to make it work! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
An easy recipe and delicious but need to double the dressing and save some to re-apply if you’re going to eat it over a couple days.
Also be realistic about the prep. Nobody can chop all those vegetables in 10 minutes. That’s crazy.
It took me 30 minutes and I have mad knife skills.
This recipe was amazing!
Delicious and filling – I can see this becoming a lunch time favourite!
Amazing, so glad to hear!
So delicious! Leftovers for lunch, yay!!
Amazing! We love this for leftovers too!
This whole thing is one serving and only 1 gram of protein??
21 grams! Sorry about that!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
It was fabulous! I loved it…but seriously…10 minutes prep time? More like a day and a half at least!!! But was great. Did double the dressing for it. I think it needed it. Thanks to my daughter who told me about your site, and directed me to the recipe.
LOVE your recipes and presentations. Is there something I can replace olives with in recipes. I don’t like olives (even a tiny bit). What do you suggest?
Debbie
Idaho Falls, ID
Hi Debbie- You can certainly leave them out, you can try subbing with a n little bit of pickled peppers, or capers, or even drained canned artichoke hearts! Let us know how it turns out! xo, Alia and Radwa
I love this recipe. I have also added a little of chopped pepperoncino peppers and little of the juice. This kicked it up a notch 🤩
Thank you, Martha! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe and are able to make it your own. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Made this for a BBQ this weekend and it was a huge hit!!
Made this as a side dish along with pizza. Everyone enjoyed the salad!! I didn’t have red onion, but used white onion instead and added chopped avocado & chopped feta cheese. Huge hit with the kids too!
Yay, that’s amazing! Thanks for giving it a try! xo, Alia and Radwa
This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is so light and fresh! It was easy to assemble, but plan accordingly to chop everything. The dressing is a nice balance of flavors. We will be making this dish again for sure!