Description
A fresh and easy Mediterranean Chickpea Feta Salad featuring plant-based feta, crisp vegetables, and a tangy natural apple cider vinegar dressing. Perfect for a quick lunch, light dinner, or vibrant side dish, this salad combines wholesome ingredients bursting with Mediterranean flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 can (about 15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup plant-based feta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (natural)
- 1 clove garlic (natural), minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Rinse and drain the chickpeas thoroughly. Slice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and roughly chop the fresh parsley to prepare the salad ingredients.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar (natural), extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard (natural), minced garlic (natural), sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined to create a lively, tangy dressing.
- Combine the salad: Place chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, and parsley into a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the mixture and gently toss to evenly coat the ingredients. Crumble the plant-based feta on top and lightly toss again, being careful to keep the feta’s texture intact.
- Serve and enjoy: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or plate. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or toasted nuts if desired. Serve immediately for best freshness, or let sit for 10 minutes for flavors to meld before enjoying.
Notes
- Chill cucumbers and tomatoes before assembling to keep the salad refreshing.
- Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes after mixing to blend the flavors beautifully.
- Lightly toast chickpeas before mixing for added crunch.
- Adjust the apple cider vinegar (natural) quantity to suit your preferred level of tanginess.
- Add plant-based feta at the end to maintain its creamy texture without breaking it up too much.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, keeping plant-based feta separate if possible.
- Freezing is not recommended as fresh vegetables and dressing lose texture and flavor upon thawing.
- Best served chilled or at room temperature; let sit briefly before serving if desired to take off the chill.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No cooking required
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Mediterranean salad, chickpea salad, plant-based feta, healthy lunch, quick salad, fresh vegetables, vegan salad, gluten free
