Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Name: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (drained and rinsed); 1 clove garlic (minced); ⅓ cup celery (diced small); ¼ cup red onion (diced small); ¼ cup kalamata olives (chopped); 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped); ¼ cup crumbled feta; salt and pepper (to taste)

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This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is fresh and vibrant! It's made with olive oil, olives, and herbs. This salad is perfect on toasted bread or atop leafy greens.

We love chickpea salad in our household. It is a great, healthy alternative for lunch. It can be made ahead, which is ideal for busy weeks, and it is fun to play with the ingredients.

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is olive oil-based, versus mayonnaise. It is full of Mediterranean ingredients like garlic, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives. For a classic version of chickpea salad, see my Smashed Chickpea Salad recipe.

Why This Recipe is Great

It's easy to prepare and ready in 15-minutes!
Thanks to the combination of ingredients, each bite is incredibly flavorful.
It is great for meal preparation, enough for lunches throughout the week.
This salad is a healthy alternative for sandwiches and a lovely addition to salads.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is vibrant and healthy.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - The base is protein-packed chickpeas. This salad recipe would be great with tuna as well.
Olive Oil - Instead of the typical mayonnaise you see in many chickpea salads, this recipe relies on olive oil. Use a high-quality oil, to avoid bitterness, like California Olive Ranch Everyday Olive Oil.
Fresh Vegetables - The vegetables in this salad are celery, red onion, and garlic. If you do not have red onion, white onion or scallions work well in this salad too!
Lemon Juice
Kalamata Olives - This recipe calls for Kalamata olives, however, black olives work just fine too. They do, however, have a slightly different flavor profile. Another option is adding roasted red bell peppers.
Crumbled Feta
Fresh Parsley - Fresh cilantro, chives, and dill are also lovely herbs to use in this recipe.

How to Make This Recipe

In a medium bowl, smash chickpeas with a fork until crumbly, and no full chickpeas remain. (This process can be done in a food processor, but be careful not to turn the mixture into a paste.)
Add celery, garlic, red onion, and olives. Stir until well combined. Add in olive oil and lemon juice, mixing until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in feta and parsley. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Mediterranean chickpea salad on toasted bread with arugula

How to Serve Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

On Toasted Bread - Scoop a serving of salad onto your favorite toasted bread. Top with greens (my favorite is always arugula) and another slice of toasted bread for the perfect sandwich.
On Top of a Salad - Using an ice cream scoop, scoop a serving of Mediterranean chickpea salad on top of a bed of lightly dressed greens.
With Celery Sticks - This salad is also great as a dip, use celery sticks for dipping. Pita chips would be great too!
By the Spoonful - Enough said.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to smash chickpeas?

Use a fork or potato masher to easily smash up the chickpeas. A food processor works great too, just keep a close eye so the chickpeas do not lose all of their texture.

How long does this Mediterranean chickpea salad stay fresh for?

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this salad will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

Other Recipes You'll Love

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is great on toasted bread with sliced tomato and greens or scooped atop a spinach salad. It's packed full of flavor and quite frankly it is delicious. Comment below if you make this recipe!