Description
A vibrant, protein-packed Mediterranean chickpea salad loaded with crunchy veggies and herbs, all tossed in a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette. No cooking, just chop, whisk, and toss—ready in 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
The Base
- 2 cans (425 g each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed
The Crunch
- 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup sweet corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large cucumber, diced (English or Persian works best)
The Herbs
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, adds citrusy notes)
The Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (optional for extra tang)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp honey or sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
Seasonings
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the chickpeas & veg: Rinse and drain chickpeas well. Finely dice bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion.
- Assemble the base: In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, bell pepper, corn, red onion, cucumber, parsley, and cilantro.
- Make the dressing: Whisk or shake together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, and honey/sugar (if using) until emulsified.
- Toss & marinate: Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Adjust salt to taste. Rest 15–30 minutes for best flavor, or serve right away.
Notes
For extra brightness, add lemon zest. Great with feta (non-vegan) or avocado. Keeps 3 days in the fridge; add herbs fresh for day-of serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 480
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 12
