Mediterranean Chickpea Tomato Salad (Printable)
Chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil tossed in a bright lemon-olive oil dressing. Fresh, quick, and satisfying.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables & Legumes
01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp red wine vinegar
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Additions
12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (omit for vegan)
13 - 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
# Steps:
01 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the drained chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, and roughly chopped basil leaves.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
04 - If using, scatter crumbled feta cheese and sliced kalamata olives over the top and toss lightly to incorporate.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It assembles in fifteen minutes flat with zero cooking required, which makes it the laziest and most impressive dish in your summer rotation.
- The lemon oregano dressing seeps into the chickpeas overnight and turns the leftovers into something even better than day one.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than two hours ahead or the cucumbers will weep and dilute everything into a sad puddle.
- Letting it chill for exactly thirty minutes is the sweet spot where the flavors deepen but the vegetables stay crisp and proud.
03 -
- Pat the chickpeas thoroughly dry with a clean towel after rinsing so the dressing clings instead of sliding off wet skins.
- A tiny pinch of sugar in the dressing rounds out any bitterness from the lemon or vinegar and makes the whole salad taste more balanced.