Easy Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing: Recipe

I love chickpeas! That’s why I’m sharing this Easy Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing, a recipe from my friend from Armenia. Chickpeas are used more often there than what I was accustomed to in the Czech Republic. Admittedly, I didn’t even know chickpeas as a child, but I’ve been incorporating them more often into my meals in recent years. Chickpeas are an amazing ingredient with great nutritional value, and we should use them more often. Let’s make this refreshing chickpea salad.

Recipe

Ingredients in this recipe

For the Salad

• 2 cans (425 g / 15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (choose your preferred color)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped (or white onion)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Lemon Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1

Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and drain.

Step 2

• Clean and rinse all vegetables as needed. Dice the cucumber and bell pepper, finely dice the red or white onion. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop fresh parsley.

Step 3

• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Adjust the taste according to your preferences.

Step 4

• In a large salad bowl, combine the chickpeas, diced cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and fresh parsley.

Step 5

• Pour the lemon dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure all ingredients are well coated.

Step 6

• Season the salad with salt and pepper as needed. If using feta cheese, crumble it on top of the salad.

Step 7

• Refrigerate the chickpea salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. It’s even better if chilled for 2 to 4 hours.

Step 8

• Serve the salad chilled and enjoy the mix of tasty ingredients that make up the perfect result.

This easy chickpea salad with lemon dressing is not only delicious but also full of protein, vitamins, and fresh flavors from the vegetables. It’s the perfect dish for a light lunch or as a refreshing side to any roasted or grilled meat. Feel free to customize this salad by adding other vegetables or herbs that you like; I personally recommend chopped fresh dill, which pairs well with this salad.