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    Home » Recipes » Lunch & Dinner

    By: Allie Petersen · Dated: January 20, 2023·Last Modified: August 5, 2023 ·This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases. ·

    Refreshing Chickpea Salad with Lemon

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    Looking for a quick, refreshing lunch? This chickpea salad with fresh lemon is packed with fresh flavors including juicy cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and fresh mint and parsley. This is an easy lunch ready in less than 20 minutes!

    chickpea salad in a bowl with a spoon and a lemon in the background.
    Jump to:
    • What you'll love about this recipe:
    • 🥒Ingredients
    • 🔄Recipe Variations
    • 📝Step-by-Step Instructions
    • ❓Recipe FAQs
    • Pro Tips
    • ⇨Check out these other summer recipes⇦
    • Refreshing Chickpea Salad with Lemon
    • Comments

    What you'll love about this recipe:


    • EASY - Add all the simple ingredients to one bowl and mix. This is great for a quick lunch or meal prep!
    • FLAVORFUL - This is filled with fresh Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley, and olive oil
    • HEALTHY - This healthy salad is packed with plant-based protein from the chickpeas, fresh veggies, and lemon. This is a nutrient powerhouse salad!
    • VEGAN, DAIRY-FREE, & GLUTEN-FREE

    I'm all about simplicity and this chickpea salad recipe is the perfect simple healthy lunch! This can be a main meal at lunch or a great side dish at dinner that is ready in less than 20 minutes. This salad is bursting with flavor and has health benefits too from all the fresh vegetables.

    This is my go-to recipe on a busy weekday that I highly recommend adding to your recipe plans!

    For another amazing summer salad, try out this Strawberry Balsamic Tofu Pasta Salad or a refreshing Orzo Pasta Salad!

    🥒Ingredients

    Main Ingredients

    • Chickpeas: For the quickest recipe, use canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed.) You can swap this out for another white bean such as Great Northern Beans.
    • Cherry Tomato: Juicy and vibrant- these are a great addition to this chickpea salad!
    • Cucumber: Creates a crisp crunch to the salad. I used a regular cucumber but you could also try an English cucumber.

    Flavorful Additions

    • Fresh Lemon: You will need the zest and juice of one large lemon for this recipe. The fresh lemon juice adds so much vibrance to this salad! This will be the main ingredient for the simple vinaigrette.
    • Parsley: Fresh parsley tastes amazing in this recipe. You can use Italian parsley or curled leaf parsley.
    • Mint: This adds a refreshing component to the recipe that pairs perfectly with the lemon. This is my favorite addition to this salad becomes its adds so much flavor.
    • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I recommend a high quality extra virgin olive oil as it will provide the best flavor and some lower quality olive oils have a bitterness.

    See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

    🔄Recipe Variations

    • Different herbs: Try out fresh dill instead
    • Add more veg: Red pepper pepper, spinach, or artichokes
    • Add grains: Chilled couscous, quinoa, or barley would be delicious in this salad!
    • Add more protein: White beans, kidney beans, sprinkle of hemp seeds, mini tofu cubes
    • Add more flavor: Pesto, feta cheese, fresh basil, kalamata olives, or ripe avocado!

    📝Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and rinsed chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and finely chopped red onion.

    2. Add the fresh parsley and mint to the bowl.

    3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.

    4. Pour the lemon dressing over the chickpea salad mixture.

    Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined and evenly coated with the lemon dressing.

    5. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed.

    Let the chickpea salad sit for about 10-20 minutes for best results (this allows the flavors to meld together). You can also refrigerate it for a while to let the flavors develop even further.

    6. Before serving, give the salad a final toss and garnish with some extra chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

    ▶︎Serve this salad with this delicious vegan flatbread pizza!

    ❓Recipe FAQs

    How do I store this chickpea salad?

    Fridge: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
    Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

    Why do I need to rinse chickpeas?

    This helps remove any excess salt or preservatives on the chickpeas will improve the taste of the chickpea salad.

    Do I need to let this salad rest before eating?

    No, this is not a requirement but recommended. As the chickpeas sit in the lemon marinade, they will become much more flavorful. I recommend at least 10 minutes (ideally 1 hour). This salad gets even better overnight!

    How do I zest a lemon?

    Lemon zest adds brightness and citrusy flavor to this chickpea salad. Start by washing your lemon. Use a fine-grater, microplane, or zester specifically designed for citrus fruits. Gently rub the lemon against the grater or zester's surface, gently rotating as you do this. Avoid grating too deeply into the white pith, as that can be bitter. Add this to your lemon dressing and stir.

    ▶︎Looking for more quick recipes? Check out this list of 43+ lazy vegan lunches and dinners!


    Pro Tips


    • If you have time, you can chill this salad for 1 hour and it will taste even better! The flavors will marinate together over time.
    • Don't forget to wash your tomato and cucumber before dicing. You do not need to peel your cucumber (unless you dislike the skin, but it has lots of nutrients!)
    • Use a high quality olive oil for this salad. Low quality olive oil can add a bitterness to the salad.

    Looking for more summer salads? Find 20+ Refreshing Vegan Salads here!

    ⇨Check out these other summer recipes⇦

    • Tuscan Chickpea Soup
    • miso glazed tofu in a bowl with chopsticks and rice.
      Miso Glazed Tofu
    • 15 Vegan Acorn Squash Recipes Perfect for Fall
    • Trader Joe's Thai Yellow Tofu Curry

    ♡ Did you love this recipe? ♡

    Leave a ⭐️rating and ✏️comment below (I love to read them!) Tag us on Instagram with a photo or video of your dish 📸 @naturallieplantbased.

    Subscribe for more delicious recipes!

    chickpea salad in a bowl with a spoon and a lemon in the background.

    Refreshing Chickpea Salad with Lemon

    Allie Petersen
    This easy chickpea salad is a refreshing lunch or side dish with vibrant lemon, fresh parsley, mint, and veggies.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Resting Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 2
    Calories 159 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Cutting board
    • 1 Chef's knife
    • 1 Large bowl
    • 1 Mixing spoon

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
    • ½ cucumber diced
    • ¼ red onion finely chopped
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
    • Zest and juice of 1 large lemon*
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*
    • ¼ teaspoon salt add more to taste
    • pinch of pepper

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and rinsed chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and finely chopped red onion.
      1 15 oz can chickpeas, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, ½ cucumber, ¼ red onion
    • Add the fresh parsley and mint to the bowl.
      ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
      Zest and juice of 1 large lemon*, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*, ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper
    • Pour the lemon dressing over the chickpea salad mixture.
    • Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined and evenly coated with the lemon dressing.
    • Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
    • Let the chickpea salad sit for about 10-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. You can also refrigerate it for a while to let the flavors develop even further.
    • Before serving, give the salad a final toss and garnish with some extra chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

    Notes

    ⭐️Use high quality extra virgin olive oil in this recipe for the best flavor.
    ⭐️ When you zest a lemon, make sure to wash it before and use a microplaner to zest the entire lemon. Careful to not go too deep and get the white bitter part. 
    ⭐️One large lemon yields about 3-4 tablespoon of lemon juice.
    Other tips: 
    • If you have time, let this chill in the fridge for one hour before serving for the best flavor.
    • This is an easy recipe to double for lunch for the week! 
    • This recipe is easily customizable. You can add in other ingredients like red pepper, spinach, artichokes, quinoa, other beans, avocado, and more!
    • Store in the fridge for 4 days in an airtight container.
    •  
    •  
    Calorie count disclaimer: Naturallie Plant-Based offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Naturallie Plant-Based attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 307mgPotassium: 360mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1289IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Comment below & tag @naturallieplantbased on Instagram!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Glenda says

      April 06, 2023 at 5:36 pm

      5 stars
      This scrumptious salad is a lunchtime favorite at our house! I make a big batch and we use it all week long.

      Reply
    2. Jane says

      June 06, 2023 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      I love how this salad makes the most of the flavor and texture of chickpeas. The lemon dressing is refreshing and light, but the salad itself has a nice crunchy texture with the chickpeas.

      Reply
    3. Gina says

      June 27, 2023 at 6:05 am

      5 stars
      I could eat this for lunch all week long and never tire of it. So much bright flavor and I love how it's great on its own or with some extra added protein. Leftovers make a great side dish for dinner too!

      Reply
    4. Shelby says

      August 01, 2023 at 4:32 am

      5 stars
      This lemon chickpea salad has the perfect flavor! The mint and lemon is so refreshing.

      Reply
    5. Sarah says

      August 06, 2023 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      This was so fresh! I used veggies from my garden to make this which made it even more delicious. I love the mint and the chickpeas were so hearty that this totally served as our main dish and filled us up.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Allie! I'm so glad you're here! I'm a plant-based recipe creator, food photographer, and popcorn lover. Here you will find quick healthy vegan recipes that are perfect for the busy individual!

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