Serve this Mediterranean-style chickpea salad at your next gathering. Delicious, affordable, healthy, vegan, gluten-free goodness!
Updated 22 August 2025
The ‘it’ salad that people rave about
Well, my people, that is! Every time I’m hosting a BBQ, you’ll likely see this Mediterranean-style chickpea salad. It’s quick and simple to make, and its delicious taste always draws compliments.
The most memorable one was from my husband’s cousin. He was drunk at the time, but that doesn’t matter because he was coherent enough to say, ‘That salad is da bomb! It tastes exactly like tabouli, but it isn’t tabouli because it has chickpeas!!!’ 😂🤣
This compliment came from a dude who towered over us, a mountain of a man who probably could lift a truck with ease. Despite a table laden with sizzling grilled meats and sausages, he raved about the simple chickpea salad. So…., I don’t think I need to elaborate further on how deliciously wonderful this salad is!
I should at least highlight the health and nutritional benefits of this salad! It’s gluten-free and vegan, so almost everyone can enjoy it! You can read more below about how chickpeas should be classified as a superfood, actually.. are they? 🤔
This salad is also budget-friendly and easy to put together, thanks to the convenience of using cheap canned chickpeas. I must admit there’s lots of chopping involved, and no, you can’t use a food processor 😆 because it just won’t give you the same vibrant colour, taste and texture! Hand chopping all the way!
Mediterranean Chickpea salad
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned ones?
Yes, you can swap for dried chickpeas. However, you’ll have to soak them for hours or overnight and cook them until they are soft prior to adding them to the salad. For me, canned chickpeas win every time! No fuss! Open the cans, rinse away the brine, and they’re good to go!
How does eating chickpeas benefit your health?
This salad makes incorporating wholesome chickpeas into your diet a breeze because it’s super delicious!
Chickpeas are a nutritional powerhouse, offering many health benefits. They are high in fibre, promoting digestive health and helping regulate blood sugar levels. Their protein content aids in satiety and muscle building. Chickpeas are also a wonderful source of iron, magnesium, and folate, contributing to energy levels, bone health, and healthy cell growth, respectively.
How to select a perfectly ripe avocado?
You want an avocado that’s creamy but just ripe, which is sometimes challenging to find. I always take the time to select my avocados because the ones they sell here are hard as rocks! Avocados that are ready to use directly from the store are rare. Mine usually ripens a few days after bringing it home.
Anyway, a good ripe avocado should yield to gentle pressure but not feel mushy. Dark green or almost black usually means it’s ripe, but this depends on the variety of avocado you’re looking at!
What to serve with Mediterranean chickpea salad?
Mediterranean chickpea salad pairs well with a variety of dishes such as grilled / roasted meats, seafood, vegetables.
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Ingredients for Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Canned chickpeas – Rinse the chickpeas well in water, and drain fully before adding to the salad. We don’t want a watery and tasteless dressing!
Tomatoes – If possible, select firm tomatoes as they’re less watery and hold their shape in the salad. Overripe tomatoes may make the salad soggy. Taking out tomato pulp and seeds will prolong salad freshness and allow the dressing to shine.
Avocados are sometimes tricky to select because if they’re not ripe, they won’t give us that beautiful creamy texture. Select avocados by gently squeezing. It should yield to gentle pressure but not feel mushy.
Parsley – Flat-leaf (Italian parsley) or curly parsley would work in this salad. Curly parsley is milder and has a lighter texture than flat-leaf parsley.
Honey – If a salad dressing has high acidity or tartness from lemon juice or vinegar, I like to add a little sweetness to improve the flavour. You can use honey, maple syrup or sugar, or just omit this if you wish.
More mouthwatering salad recipes to try:
How to make Mediterranean Chickpea salad
Step by step guide with photos
For the dressing – Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Taste the dressing and add more salt and pepper if needed. You may also wish to add more lemon juice to make it tangier or honey to smooth out the sourness.
Slice the tomatoes in half, then scoop out the pulp and seeds using a spoon. You may wish to freeze this for later and use it for stock or discard it. Slice the leftover tomatoes into small cubes.
In a large bowl, mix the chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, parsley, mint, and dressing. Add the avocado and fold in gently. Once again, have a taste and adjust the dressing to your liking. Enjoy!
How to store Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Leftovers – Transfer the salad to a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
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Cheers – Cat T
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g / 14oz canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained (NOTE 1)
- 2 (320g / 11oz) medium firm tomatoes, seeds removed, diced into small cubes (NOTE 2)
- 1 (100g / 3.5g) small red or Spanish onion, finely chopped
- 1 (260g / 9oz) medium avocado, diced into small cubes (NOTE 3)
- 2 cups (140g / 5oz) finely chopped flat or curly parsley leaves (NOTE 4)
- ¼ cup (10g / 0.4oz) finely chopped mint leaves
FOR THE DRESSING
- 6 tbsp (120ml / 4floz) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp (80ml / 2.7floz) fress lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp honey or sugar (NOTE 5)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- For the dressing – Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Taste the dressing and add more salt and pepper if needed. You may also wish to add more lemon juice to make it tangier or honey to smooth out the sourness.
- Slice the tomatoes in half, then scoop out the pulp and seeds using a spoon. You may wish to freeze this for later and use it for stock or discard it. Slice the leftover tomatoes into small cubes.
- In a large bowl, mix the chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, parsley, mint, and dressing. Add the avocado and fold in gently. Once again, have a taste and adjust the dressing to your liking. Enjoy!
