Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean in this crunchy salad.
Sometimes, a terrific salad is just a matter of thinking of what types of foods are popular in the Mediterranean region, and combining them into one crunchy, tangy, delicious bowl! The Mediterranean diet is famed for its healthy, vegetable-based approach, and this Chickpea Cucumber Salad recipe is an excellent example of the most nutritious and flavorful ingredients found in Turkey, North Africa, Greece, and Italy.
The base for this salad is the crunchy, mellow chickpea, a favorite of those who stick to a vegetarian diet, but still crave the protein and satisfying texture that legumes offer. Chickpeas are rich in lean protein and high in fiber, and are a great source of iron for those of us who don’t get enough meat in our diets to keep our iron levels where they should be! Add a dose of tomatoes, and you’ve got immune boosting vitamin C and antioxidant lycopene. Cucumbers provide even more fiber and contain high amounts of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and cancer-fighting agents.
A salad like this doesn’t need a creamy, heavy dressing to weigh it down. A fatty dressing will only drown out its innate flavor and texture! For this salad, we use a classic Mediterranean pairing with honey and mint. Mint, when paired with a sweet flavor such as honey, is both refreshing and delicious, and enhances the flavors of the veggies and legumes in this fabulous salad. Get ready for a great taste and crunch!
Chickpea Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber large, (peel if preferred), diced
- 15 ounces garbanzo beans can, drained and rinsed (aka chickpeas)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup mint parsley or dill for substitute, chopped
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine the honey, olive oil, vinegar, and salt, and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the other ingredients and toss to coat.
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
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Am I blind? How much cucumber please?? Thank you! Looks delicious!
Cody, Add 1 large cucumber, diced. Thanks for checking!
Thank you!!
Where's the cucumbers?????
Bonnie, Please use one large cucumber, diced, peeled or unpeeled, thank you!
one large cucumber
I have made this salad and it is delicious, pallatable and nutritious. I give it a 5 stars! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us! I have found your on Pinterest!
Thank you very much!! So happy you are enjoying it. If you want more delicious recipes, check these out: https://skinnyms.com/21-clean-lunches-that-can-be-….
Yum! I made this recipe yesterday for the first time. So good! A little sweet, though.. will definitely make it again but will cut back on the honey a little bit 🙂
Sometimes referred to as an Israeli salad. Extra good with felafel and pita.
Hello! I’m looking to meal prep–does this recipe hold decently in the fridge?
Rhea, Yes, it should be good for up to two days. If you can add the cucumber just before eating, it will last a few days in the fridge.
My body does not process oils, fats, butter, etc., I get severe gastrointestinal problems. I substituted plain greek yogurt for the olive oil, and it was delish!
I love these type of dishes but I have to watch my sodium. I can’t have canned peas. I have tried several times to try to make them from dry beans but they just don’t turn out soft. Do you have any ideas to help.
Hi Kerry!
Dry Beans can be tricky! Place your dry beans in cool water in an air tight container and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Transfer the rinsed beans to a large soup pot and cover with water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour or until tender. If you have an Instant Pot or Pressure cooker you can cut the cook time in half. Make sure to cool the beans before using in the salad. Good luck with your beans!
A note to Kerry. Make sure not to add any acid until beans are soft. Like Tomato, Lemon juice, or Vinegar. Salt and garlic are fine. Acid added to soon and Beans will never soften.
Laurie, Great tips! Thanks for your reply. 🙂
I’m confused. Is the whole recipe 14 points but one serving 5 SP?
The nutritional data and Smartpoints listed are per serving, not the whole recipe. The Smartpoints listed are from the old calculation format, we’re working on updating all of our recipes to the new Freestyle points format!
I really wanted to try this but my smart points allowance is only 22 a day, if I were to eat this, more than half my points for an entire day will be gone. Can anyone suggest what I can adjust to make the points a little lower?
Hi Sarah – the points for this recipe were the old SmartPoints. We have updated the serving size and the points to the new FreeStyle points making this only 5 points per serving! Hope this helps!
What do you think of substituting lemon juice for the vinegar? I like the brightness that citrus adds. I’m thinking of bringing this to a potluck for my synagogue’s first choir rehearsal of the year. Thanks!
You can definitely substitute lemon juice.
It was really good!
We’re glad to hear your enjoyed the recipe, Lynne!
Why did my olive oil coagulate on the vegetables after chilling?
Shirley, Allow the salad to set at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What alternatives to oil can be used? Thanks
Crystal, I like “True Roots” Oil-free Lemon Hummus. It may only be in the southern U.S., not too sure.