Healthy Side Dish packed with Protein and Fiber.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes
This salad is full of protein and fiber from the chickpeas, and it’s also light and refreshing, combining chickpeas, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
A Greek chickpea salad packs a bunch of nutritional goodness. It offers a variety of health benefits, is high in protein and fiber, and is packed with nutrients.
The main ingredient, chickpeas, is an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. Protein helps you feel full and satisfied, while fiber keeps your digestive system running smoothly and can aid in weight management. This salad is also a great way to sneak in essential vitamins and minerals. Chickpeas themselves contain folate, iron, phosphorus, and more. The vegetables typically included, like tomatoes and cucumbers, add vitamins A and C, and the crumbled feta cheese provides calcium. Overall, this salad’s combination of protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals contributes to overall well-being by promoting feelings of fullness and gut health and providing essential nutrients for the body.
What’s In this Simple Chickpea Salad?
Offering classic Greek and Mediterranean flavors is this easy, refreshing healthy side dish salad. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Canned chickpeas
- Cherry tomatoes
- English cucumber
- Kalamata olives
- Red onion
- Feta cheese
- Fresh dill
- Dried oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Sugar (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans , rinsed and drained
- 1 English cucumber, halved and sliced into coins
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- ¾ cup pitted kalamata olives , drained and halved
- ⅓ cup slivered red onion
- 6 ounces feta cheese , crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar , optional
Instructions
In large bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, chopped cucumber, halved tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, and half of the crumbled feta cheese with fresh dill in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, then season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of sugar (optional).
Toss gently to coat, then add the remaining feta cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
Approx 6 Servings. Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 632IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe modified from FoodCrush.com