Mediterranean Chickpea Tomato Salad (Printable)
Chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Fresh Mediterranean flavors in every bite.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables & Legumes
01 - 1½ cups (250 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dressing
06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
10 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Optional Additions
12 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
# Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and torn basil leaves.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until the dressing is emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
04 - Fold in the sliced Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay happy.
- The lemon olive oil dressing doubles as a marinade for almost anything you throw on the grill later.
- It tastes even better the next day, making it rare among fresh salads that usually wilt overnight.
02 -
- Raw garlic becomes more pungent the longer it sits, so if you are making this hours ahead use half a clove or rub a cut clove around the inside of the bowl instead.
- Basil leaves turn black and slimy if left in acid too long, so tear them in right before serving for the brightest appearance.
03 -
- Letting the salad rest for thirty minutes in the fridge before eating allows the chickpeas to absorb the dressing and transforms the whole dish from good to memorable.
- Draining and patting the chickpeas dry with a paper towel before adding them prevents excess liquid from diluting your dressing.