This vegan chickpea salad is one of my favorite easy salads that's quick, healthy, and satisfying. This Mediterranean light meal combines chickpeas with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and arugula. It's finished with a lemony vinaigrette and best of all, it's ready in 15 minutes!
This is a perfect, easy lunch to make ahead to take to work for lunch or for an on-the-go lunch if you're on the run. See the below Make-Ahead Tips.
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One of life's truisms is that beans are fantastic in salads. A tangy vinaigrette balances their earthiness, and herbs, greens, and other veggies come along for the ride.
I offer proof with this Quinoa, Avocado and Black Bean Salad and another chickpea salad, Warm Chickpea Feta Salad with Fire Roasted Tomatoes.
As further proof, here's a comment on this recipe from a reader:
Wow! This was delicious! I put it over a salad of mixed greens for an easy lunch. My husband ate the leftovers straight out of the bowl! Thanks for a great addition to our recipe collection of healthy meal ideas.
-Jennifer
👩🍳 Canned Chickpeas v Dried Chickpeas
Pre-cooked canned chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are easy to find in almost any market these days, but I prefer cooking my own. I totally understand that opening a can is way more convenient than cooking up a pot of dried chickpeas, but I prefer the taste of the ones I cook, I can infuse other flavors while they cook, and they're much less expensive.
But if you cook dried beans too, check out my tips for cooking them on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, and in an electric pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot.
For those nights when I need something fast, I always have canned chickpeas in my pantry. If you purchase canned chickpeas, select a no-sodium version if possible, and check to make sure the cans are BPA-free.
Even low-sodium canned beans can have a lot of sodium - so be sure to check the package nutrition information.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Convenient. This easy chickpea salad uses ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Excellent protein. Chickpeas provide a great source of plant-based protein.
- Fast. Make it in 15 minutes.
- Easy. There's almost no prepping involved.
- Flexible. Use it as a main or side dish, and adjust the ingredients for what you and your family like best and have on hand.
🌱
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minute meal or less.
For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for this Mediterranean chickpea salad go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Chickpeas - Either canned or cooked from dried beans are fine.
- Green olives
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Sun-dried tomatoes - Purchase sun-dried tomatoes that are already sliced into slivers.
- Arugula - This peppery green is wonderful with chickpeas, but you can use baby spinach, chopped romaine, or butter lettuce too.
- Fresh basil leaves - or other fresh herbs, such as fresh mint leaves or fresh dill.
- Parmesan cheese - Use plant-based Parmesan-style cheese, such as Follow Your Heart, to keep this salad vegan.
- Lemony vinaigrette
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping much easier.
- Large mixing bowl - for tossing the salad.
- Chef's knife
- Small bowl - for mixing the vinaigrette.
- Whisk - for making the vinaigrette.
🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- Chickpeas, like other legumes, have an earthy flavor. The lemony vinaigrette and briny green olives balance this perfectly.
- Sun-dried tomatoes add a punch of umami.
- Peppery arugula adds a sharper flavor than milder greens to give this salad a lot of flavor.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Red onion adds a nice bit of crunch to this salad, but you can use scallions (green onions) if that's your personal preference.
- Add ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper.
- Use 1 teaspoon minced Preserved Lemon.
- Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon Hemp Hearts.
- Fresh herbs give this salad a fresh flavor, and many herbs work well, including fresh basil, mint, oregano, dill, and fresh parsley. Select which one works best for you.
- Add Gremolata Breadcrumbs or Crispy Quinoa for some crunch.
- If you prefer the chickpeas to be smashed a bit, use a potato masher for this.
🧊 Make-Ahead Tips
This salad is even better the next day. If you do this, I recommend making the entire salad ahead except tossing in the arugula and dress it with half of the vinaigrette. Add the greens and the remaining dressing (to taste) just before eating.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
📇 More Chickpea Salads to Love
Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas + Miso Dressing
Pan-Fried Chickpea Salad & Curried Yogurt
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Simple Mediterranean Vegan Chickpea Salad with Olives
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl to mix together the salad
- small bowl to make the vinaigrette
- Whisk for whisking together dressing
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked from dried
- ½ cup sliced green olives
- ¼ cups diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into slivers
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cups lightly packed arugula
- ¼ cup lightly packed basil, thinly sliced or mint leaves
- ¼ cup dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese,
Simple Lemony Vinaigrette
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Toss the chickpeas, olives, red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in a large bowl.Add the arugula and basil, and lightly toss.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Continue whisking as you add the olive oil. Add half of the dressing to the salad and toss. Taste, and add additional dressing as desired.
Liz
I could eat this deliciousness ALL week long for lunch! I love the addition of chickpeas and sun-dried tomoatoes!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Liz! It's been the perfect lunch or dinner to have on hand over the past month 🙂
Jane
What a wonderful main course salad Susan, I love all the flavors and textures. I especially love that you used hemp hearts - a lesser known and fabulous ingredient! This is a salad everyone will enjoy!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
And it's EASY!! Thanks so much, my friend!
Karen
A salad you can make in advance! That is so convenient and it sounds delicious!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much! Yes, I have some in the refrigerator right now!
Barbara Kiebel
I'm with you...cook your own! I use the pressure cooker to make them for hummus and it's easy and the ability to season makes them taste so much better.
That being said, ahem, I have never considered them for a salad so I love this...it looks and sounds fantastic!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's absolutely delicious, Barb! And so quick and easy to throw together at the last minute.
Sarah Walker Caron
Do you ever make big batches of chickpeas and freeze some? Curious if they are as good when you do that. In any case, this salad sounds delicious!
Jennifer Jamason
Wow! This was delicious! I put it over a salad of mixed greens for an easy lunch. My husband ate the leftovers straight out of the bowl! Thanks for a great addition to our recipe collection of healthy meal ideas.
Susan Pridmore
I am so happy you made this and loved it so much!! Yay!!! Thanks for letting me know.