Zesty Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad

Here is my favorite Mediterranean garbanzo bean salad recipe, with crisp cucumbers, red bell peppers, tangy feta cheese, and a homemade lemon vinaigrette that brings everything together.

This salad is perfect for summer picnics and potlucks because it holds up well and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours. I make a big batch on Sundays and we eat it all week long for easy lunches.

What Kind of Chickpeas Should I Use?

Canned chickpeas are the way to go for this salad since they’re convenient and already cooked to the perfect texture. You can use any brand you like, but I’d recommend rinsing them well under cold water to get rid of that canned liquid taste and reduce the sodium. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can definitely use dried chickpeas that you’ve cooked yourself – they’ll have a firmer texture and fresher flavor, though they’ll take a lot more time to prepare. Just make sure your chickpeas are fully cooked and cooled before tossing them into the salad, otherwise they’ll wilt your veggies and make everything soggy.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving and works well with a few simple swaps:

• Chickpeas: You can use dried chickpeas if you prefer – just soak 1 cup overnight and cook until tender. White beans or cannellini beans also work nicely if you want to switch things up.
• Feta cheese: If you’re not a feta fan, try crumbled goat cheese or even diced mozzarella. For a dairy-free version, just leave it out or add some diced avocado for creaminess.
• Red pepper: Any color bell pepper works here – yellow, orange, or green will all taste great. You could even use roasted red peppers from a jar for extra flavor.
• White wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar make good substitutes. You might need to adjust the amount slightly based on your taste preference.
• Fresh parsley: Dried parsley works in a pinch (use 1 teaspoon), but fresh basil or cilantro can give the salad a different but equally tasty twist.
• Olives: Use whatever olives you like – kalamata, black, or green all work. If you’re not an olive person, you can skip them or add some capers instead for that briny flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with chickpea salad is skipping the step of drying the beans after draining them – excess moisture will water down your dressing and leave you with a bland, soggy salad instead of a flavorful one.

Another common error is adding the dressing right before serving, but this salad actually tastes better when it sits for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) in the fridge, giving the chickpeas time to soak up all those flavors.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasoning after mixing everything together, since the feta and olives are already salty, and be careful with the red pepper flakes if you’re not a fan of heat – start with half the amount and add more if needed.

What to Serve With Garbanzo Bean Salad?

This Mediterranean salad is filling on its own, but I love serving it alongside grilled chicken or lamb for a complete meal. It also pairs really well with warm pita bread or naan that you can use to scoop up the chickpeas and all those tasty juices at the bottom of the bowl. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, try adding some hummus and baba ganoush on the side for a full Mediterranean spread. This salad also works great as a side dish at cookouts next to grilled kebabs or as part of a mezze platter with stuffed grape leaves and tzatziki.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad actually gets better after sitting for a few hours because the flavors have time to mingle together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing tends to settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: I love prepping this salad the night before a party or potluck. The chickpeas and veggies soak up all that tangy dressing overnight, making every bite more flavorful. Just wait to add the feta until right before serving so it stays nice and crumbly instead of getting mushy.

Serve: This salad tastes great straight from the fridge, especially on a hot day. If you find the olive oil has solidified a bit from the cold, just let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes and give it a toss.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-1900
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-160 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 32 oz chickpeas (drained and rinsed well)
• 1 cucumber (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 large red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced or finely diced)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/2 cup olives (pitted and halved)
• salt
• black pepper

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil (I use Colavita extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp parsley (freshly chopped for best flavor)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• salt
• black pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• salt
• black pepper

In a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano.

Seal the lid and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until the ingredients are well emulsified and the oregano is fully incorporated.

Taste the dressing and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.

I find making the dressing first allows the flavors to meld while you work on chopping, giving you a more cohesive sauce by the time you need it.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Protein

• 1 cucumber
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 32 oz chickpeas
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

While the dressing flavors develop, prepare all the vegetables with consistent sizing for even distribution throughout the salad.

Dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, and thinly slice or finely dice the red onion.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear—this removes excess starch and prevents the salad from becoming gummy.

Pit and halve the olives.

Crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces.

Having everything prepped and ready makes assembly quick and ensures consistent texture throughout.

Step 3: Combine and Finish

• chickpeas and vegetables from Step 2
• dressing from Step 1
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

In a large bowl, combine the prepared chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta cheese, and olives.

Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed.

Stir in the freshly chopped parsley just before serving to maintain its bright, fresh flavor rather than letting it wilt in the dressing.

Zesty Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad

Delicious Zesty Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1800 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 32 oz chickpeas (drained and rinsed well)
• 1 cucumber (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 large red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced or finely diced)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/2 cup olives (pitted and halved)
• salt
• black pepper

For the dressing::

• 1/2 cup olive oil (I use Colavita extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp parsley (freshly chopped for best flavor)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• salt
• black pepper

Instructions

 

• In a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Seal the lid and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until the ingredients are well emulsified and the oregano is fully incorporated. Taste the dressing and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables. I find making the dressing first allows the flavors to meld while you work on chopping, giving you a more cohesive sauce by the time you need it.
• While the dressing flavors develop, prepare all the vegetables with consistent sizing for even distribution throughout the salad. Dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, and thinly slice or finely dice the red onion. Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear—this removes excess starch and prevents the salad from becoming gummy. Pit and halve the olives. Crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces. Having everything prepped and ready makes assembly quick and ensures consistent texture throughout.
• In a large bowl, combine the prepared chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta cheese, and olives. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all components are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Stir in the freshly chopped parsley just before serving to maintain its bright, fresh flavor rather than letting it wilt in the dressing.