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Fresh Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta

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A quick and easy Mediterranean chickpea salad with creamy feta, fresh veggies, and a tangy lemon-olive oil dressing, perfect for summer lunches or picnics.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium English cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Drain and rinse two cans (about 30 oz total) of chickpeas under cold water and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Halve 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, dice 1 medium English cucumber, and finely dice 1/4 cup of red onion. Soak onion in cold water for 5 minutes if desired to reduce sharpness, then drain well.
  3. Pit and slice 1/2 cup of Kalamata olives.
  4. Chop 1/4 cup of flat-leaf parsley and 2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves.
  5. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1 large lemon, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  6. Pour the dressing over the chickpeas, vegetables, olives, and herbs. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly.
  7. Fold in 6 oz of crumbled feta cheese carefully to keep chunks intact.
  8. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. It can rest up to 2 hours before serving.
  9. Before serving, give the salad a gentle toss and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

[‘Rinse canned chickpeas to remove excess salt and starch for better taste and texture.’, ‘Drain diced cucumber on paper towels to prevent watery salad.’, ‘Use a gentle hand when folding in feta to keep chunks intact.’, ‘Adjust seasoning after chilling as flavors mellow in the fridge.’, ‘For meal prep, store dressing and feta separately and add before serving to keep salad fresh.’, ‘Optional: Add smoked paprika or fresh oregano to dressing for variation.’, ‘Vegan option: omit feta or substitute with plant-based cheese and add nuts or seeds for crunch.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: Mediterranean chickpea salad, feta salad, summer salad, easy chickpea recipe, healthy lunch, vegetarian salad, gluten-free salad

Find it online: https://atomicbite.com/fresh-mediterranean-chickpea-salad-with-feta-easy-homemade-recipe-for-summer-lunch/