Cucumber Chickpea Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Cucumber Chickpea Salad is fresh and easy to toss together. With a quick Greek-inspired dressing, it makes a great side salad, BBQ accompaniment, or complement to any Mediterranean main, like meatballs, grilled chicken, or fish.
Fresh, fast, and easy.
I always love a simple salad that requires little planning and involves some beans or other legumes, and this one hits with a combination of crunchy cucumber, tender chickpeas, creamy feta, and vibrant dill, parsley, and mint.
Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs here: they are crucial for adding flavor to a mix that is full of satisfying textures but fairly mild in taste. Serve a chickpea cucumber salad for a slightly-unexpected side dish to anything off the grill or simple mains like Greek chicken or Moroccan lamb meatballs. It’s not just OK, but actually ideal to prepare the salad a few hours ahead — a perfect fit for breezy weekend days or for neighborhood gatherings.
Garbanzo Bean Salad Highlights
Quick and easy: This salad is super simple to toss together, with a small amount of chopping and zero cooking required.
Fresh and elegant: Despite the simple prep, this salad still tastes vibrant, wholesome, and interesting thanks to the bright herbs and fresh veggies involved.
Full of textural contrast: The mix of crisp cucumber and creamy chickpeas is so satisfying with every bite.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
This is just an at-a-glance overview of the main things you will need. Find the complete list and amounts in the recipe card below.
- Cucumber: I strongly prefer to use English or Persian cucumber in this salad. Both have tender skins and minimal seeds, so they typically do not need to be peeled or have the insides scooped out.
- Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, these creamy legumes are a staple of affordable, shelf-stable plant-based protein for us.
- Red onion: Substitute shallot or just leave it out if raw onion is not your thing.
- Feta cheese: A creamy complement to the crisp cucumber, with a hint of salty tang. It can be crumbled over the salad or cut into bite-sized cubes. Want to keep the salad dairy-free but still have something creamy? Avocado works well.
- Fresh dill, parsley, and/or mint. Fresh herbs do a lot to liven up an otherwise simple combination and make the flavors pop. Be generous with each!
You’ll also need basics such as red wine vinegar, olive oil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to make the quick homemade vinaigrette.
Variations
Add more veggies. Toss in some tomatoes, sliced bell pepper, zucchini, crisp romaine lettuce or arugula. You’ll add nutrition, stretch out the salad, and maybe clean out the fridge, too.
Toss in olives for tang. Olives are a natural match for these Mediterranean flavors. Pitted Kalamatas are our favorites, but any green or black olive that you like will do.
Add protein. Mix in some drained, oil-packed tuna to transfer this salad into a super-easy lunch, or add cubes of Greek-marinated chicken or ultra-fast garlic butter shrimp.
Top Tip for Success
Let the chickpeas soak up the dressing. Many salads fare best when dressed immediately prior to serving, but in this case the salad will actually taste best if the chickpeas have a short while to swim in the light vinaigrette. Even 20 minutes will make a difference. This means it’s ideal to prep this salad early in the day before guests arrive or before the dinner rush.
Chickpea Salad Serving Suggestions
I love this salad with anything grilled, like lemon pepper chicken, Greek-seasoned shrimp or chicken skewers, or simple steaks, pork chops, or hamburgers. It’s also a really fun addition to a build-your-own-bowl type of dinner using Moroccan-inspired meatballs, baked turkey meatballs, shredded chicken, or falafel as a base.
How To Store Cucumber Salad
Tuck leftover cucumber chickpea salad into any air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. I prefer to eat leftovers cold!
Related Recipes
- White Bean Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Pearl Couscous Salad with Cucumber and Tomato
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Greek Salmon Salad
- Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
Cucumber Chickpea Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 large cucumber sliced or quartered, see note
- 1/4 small red onion peeled and thinly-sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled or cubed
- 2-3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley or mint
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the cucumber and onion, then combine both with the drained chickpeas in a large bowl.1 large cucumber, 1/4 small red onion, 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar or liquid measuring cup. Whisk or shake together to thoroughly combine. Pour dressing over the cucumber-chickpea mixture and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- When ready to serve, sprinkle feta, parsley, and/or mint on top.1/4 cup feta cheese, 2-3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley or mint
- Give the salad another light stir, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Only peel the cucumber if you want to; I usually buy English or Persian cucumbers, which have a thin, not-at-all-bitter skin, so I can leave it on both for simplicity and for extra fiber.
- This dressing is essentially a half batch of the same dressing used on my favorite everyday Greek salad. If you want to, follow those amounts to double the dressing and use just as much as you want on this salad, then refrigerate the rest for use on other salads throughout the week.
- Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate only.
