Healthy Easy Cucumber Chickpea Salad (Printable Version)

Crisp cucumbers and hearty chickpeas tossed in bright lemon vinaigrette for a fresh, light dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and mint.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, which means lunch is ready before you've finished your coffee.
  • The chickpeas give you real staying power, so you won't be hungry an hour later like you are with most salads.
  • This dressing is so good you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle on everything else in your kitchen.
02 -
  • Keep the dressing separate from the salad if you're making it ahead because the cucumber will start releasing water and everything gets soggy and sad by the next day.
  • The vinaigrette needs to be tasted and adjusted because lemons vary wildly in juice content, and what tastes perfect to you might taste different to someone else.
03 -
  • Toast your chickpeas in a hot pan with a pinch of salt and paprika if you want them crispy and more interesting, which takes five extra minutes but changes everything.
  • Make a double batch of the vinaigrette because it's so good you'll want it on everything, and it keeps in a jar in the fridge for a week.
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