This Greek Chickpea Salad is one of those make-ahead gems that saves my sanity during the week. It hangs out in the fridge for a few days and just gets better. Tossed with a quick homemade Greek dressing, it’s perfect for lunch packing, last-minute dinners, or grabbing a forkful straight from the bowl. No judgment.
The Husband and I are both big fans. It hits all the Greek salad vibes – bold, bright, a little salty – but the chickpeas bring some staying power with extra fiber and protein.
I usually throw this together on a Sunday or while I’m waiting for toast to pop up. It’s ready when dinner is a maybe and your brain is fried. Taking it to a BBQ? Make a double batch. People will ask for the recipe, every time.
For another Mediterranean-inspired side dish, give my Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad a try – it’s tossed with orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta for a burst of flavor. You’ll also love Loaded Greek Fries, too!
Step by step photos and instructions below!I
What you’ll find in this post:
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fast. The time it takes to open a can of beans, and chop some fresh veggies, and you’re done!
- Easy. No culinary degree required.
- Nutritious. SO good for you. It includes lots of good stuff, including healthy fats.
- Delicious. It isn’t enough to be good for you, it has to be epic tasting, too!
- Budget-friendly. Use what you have on hand!
Chick Peas or Garbanzo Beans?
I’ve always called a chickpea a chickpea, but here in Arizona, it’s commonly referred to as a garbanzo bean. They’re also known as Egyptian Peas! Find them at any grocery store, with the canned beans.
Whether you call this a Chickpea Salad or a Garbanzo Bean Salad makes no difference to me. What matter is you make and enjoy this!
Try my Watermelon Gazpacho for a yummy summer soup idea.
What to serve with this
I like to serve this with some mixed leafy greens and some crusty bread at lunch, or as a side dish with a grilled chicken breast at dinner.
You can use pita chips, stuff this salad in pita bread, too!
Make ahead
This Greek Chickpea Salad will stay good for a few days in the fridge. Made with an easy homemade Greek dressing, this is perfect meal prep for packing for an easy lunch, or a fast dinner.
If you know you won’t eat it for a few days, mix up the salad, but wait to add the dressing and feta until ready to serve.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Cucumber. I leave the skin on, but by all means peel the skin off the cucumber if you wish. If you are using a regular cucumber vs English or Persian cucumbers you should peel it. The skins aren’t so yummy on that type of cucumber.
- Tomatoes. I like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, in either red or yellow or both. Diced roma tomatoes work great too.
- Bell Pepper. I use a red bell pepper, but yellow or orange works great too. All bell peppers except green peppers are sweet.
- Onion. I use a raw red onion. I cut the onion in half, and slice into half moons.
You can also finely dice your onions if you prefer. I just like the different shapes in my salad. - Chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, you can buy these in a can, or you can soak and cook your own. If you use canned, be sure to drain and rinse thoroughly.
- Olives. Briny olives add a kick of flavor to the salad. I like Kalamata olives, be sure to remove the pits before adding to the salad.
I sometimes and slice or halve the olives, and sometimes I leave them whole. Black olives or green olives also work well. - Feta. Totally optional, I use crumbled feta or grab a block and cut into small cubes. Low fat or regular feta is fine.
- Red Wine Vinegar. Any vinegar you have on hand will work. This is the acid component of the dressing. You could use lime juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, plain white vinegar, even balsamic vinegar.
- Olive Oil. I use extra-virgin olive oil, but avocado oil is a great substitute.
- Dried Oregano. This can be replaced by using Greek seasoning, or Italian seasoning if you prefer.
- Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper. As always, use these to taste.
- Fresh Parsley. I love Italian parsley in this, but dill, fresh basil or oregano works well too. Leave it off if you like!
How to make a Greek Chickpea Salad
Scroll for Recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped: Chop the cucumber, grape or cherry tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers; drain and rinse a can of chickpeas.
Combine the vegetables: Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl, and add the dressing.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and oil, add the seasonings. Set aside. Test for seasoning, then season with salt and pepper as desired.
Assemble: Pour the dressing over the chick peas and veggies, and toss until well combined. Sprinkle with feta.
Variations
Add some avocado for a creamy addition of deliciousness.
I make this chick pea salad with English cucumbers, but I’ve also subbed in some raw zucchini – with great success.
Add some garlic or garlic powder to the homemade dressing.
Fresh herbs: Fresh dill, or cilantro or parsley go well in this salad.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
If making ahead, some dressing will settle on the bottom, so stir before serving.
If you don’t want to make the dressing from scratch, no worries! Just grab a greek salad dressing from the store, and call it good.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. After that the salad will break down and be mushy (the vinegar in the dressing makes that happen).
Some of our favorite salad recipes:
- Summery White Bean Salad. Served chilled or at room temperature, this Summery White Bean Salad is great to make ahead, or to grab and go! A short prep time means you can have it on the table fast!
- Easy Southwest Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Dressing. Black beans, corn, red peppers, jalapenos, cilantro and red onions feature in this easy to make pasta salad. With the addition of the lime vinaigrette… oh, myyyyyyy.
- Caprese Orzo Salad (Basil Tomato Mozzarella). An easy side, this salad combines tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil with a yummy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Make ahead!
- Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tarragon Dressing. A spectacular, smoky charcoal-grilled vegetable salad, bursting with flavor. This is an easy side that you can make ahead or make with the family!
- Roasted Beet Salad with Feta & Walnuts. Made with feta and roasted walnuts, drizzled with a homemade vinaigrette. The beets are the star of the show!
- Arugula Salad (with Lemon Vinaigrette). This is the one you’ve been looking for! Peppery arugula mixed with bright tomatoes, parmesan, and dressed with fresh lemon vinaigrette. Perfection!
- Kale Salad (with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette). Simple ingredients and simple instructions (including how to massage kale) make this Kale Salad Recipe an absolute keeper!
- Easy Coleslaw (Homemade Coleslaw Dressing Recipe). Basic ingredients make this Homemade Coleslaw Recipe a cinch to make! With a Creamy Coleslaw Dressing, this side will be a welcome addition to any table.
- Easy Italian Salad (from Spend with Pennies)
- Chopped Asparagus Salad (from View from the Great Island)
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Update: This recipe was originally published in July of 2014. It was updated and republished in June of 2025.
Greek Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 english cucumber
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (medium)
- 1 red bell pepper (large)
- 1 red onion (small )
- 15oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed (garbanzo beans))
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
Directions
Make the dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
For the Salad
- Dice the cucumber, onion, bell pepper and tomatoes.
- Put vegetables and garbanzo beans in a large bowl.
- Combine veggies and dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour to let flavors combine.
- Devour.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in July of 2014. It was republished with updated photos in June of 2022.
3 responses
I love the idea of stealth leftovers. I have been known to do this from time to time. If something is good, I like to hoard some away for me so I can eat it twice LOL. I love chickpeas on, really, anything. This sounds delish, loving the red wine vinegar in the dressing.
This would be great to bring to a summer party.
Great salad Kylee, I can see why you put some aside.