Chickpea Salad
Add Preferred Source
One bowl of this Moroccan-inspired Chickpea Salad and you’ll understand why it disappears every single time I bring it out. Tender chickpeas, crisp vegetables, sweet dried apricots, crunchy toasted almonds, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a warmly spiced lemon and olive oil dressing that’s full of flavor. Bold, fresh, and honestly it just keeps getting better.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a commission. Thank you!
I make this for light dinners, summer lunches, potlucks, and meal prep because it’s vibrant, filling, and holds up beautifully in the fridge and only gets better overnight. No cooking required and it comes together incredibly fast, which makes it perfect for busy weeks. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Chickpea Salad with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Making this chickpea salad as is is quicker than you’d expect, and the rest time at the end is where the real magic happens.
Combine the Vegetables and Chickpeas
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), red onion, cucumber, red bell pepper, mint, and cilantro. I recommend using canned chickpeas here since they’re already cooked, perfectly tender, and make the whole process so much faster.
Chickpeas are the star ingredient here, bringing a satisfying, plant-based protein base that makes this salad genuinely filling. Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are a great addition here for extra color and juiciness, along with kalamata olives. The added olives add a wonderful briny depth if you’d like to go that route.
Chopped fresh parsley or fresh dill are great herb additions alongside the mint and cilantro if you want even more green, herby flavor. Take a moment to cut everything into similar-sized pieces for the best texture and a more even, beautiful presentation. A good, sharp chef’s knife makes this step so much faster.
Dress and Season the Salad
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice right over the top, then sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika for fresh Mediterranean flavors that make every bite delicious. If you’re out of lemon juice, a splash of red wine vinegar makes a good substitute and still delivers that bright, tangy flavor.
You can also whisk the dressing together first in a small bowl before pouring it over, and a small spoonful of Dijon mustard whisked in adds a subtle tang and helps the dressing cling to everything beautifully. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss everything well until every ingredient is evenly coated in that fragrant, spiced dressing. I love using a large bowl here, like this wide salad bowl, and silicone-tipped tongs for tossing because they grip the chickpeas perfectly without smashing them.
Fold in the Dried Apricots
Add the finely chopped dried apricots to the bowl and toss gently to evenly distribute them throughout the salad. A silicone spatula works beautifully here for gentle folding without breaking up the chickpeas.
You want little pops of sweetness in every bite rather than all the apricot in one spot.
Rest the Salad
Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. This resting period is when the flavors meld, so don’t skip it. The spices bloom, the lemon soaks in, and everything tastes more cohesive and vibrant after that short wait.
Serve and Enjoy
Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds over the top for added crunch and a nutty finish. If you want a salty, tangy finish, crumbled feta cheese is a delicious addition right before serving; just make sure you choose a vegetarian one.
You can also serve the salad over chopped romaine lettuce for extra crunch and volume, or swap the regular cucumber for an English cucumber, which has fewer seeds and thinner skin. Green onions are a milder swap if you find red onions too sharp. Toasting the almonds in a dry skillet for just a few minutes deepens their flavor significantly.
Chickpea Salad travels beautifully. Pack it in a sealed airtight salad container and keep it in a cooler or insulated bag with an ice pack if you’re heading somewhere warm or spending more than 30 minutes in transit.
Transport the toasted almonds and tangy feta cheese separately in small containers and add them right before serving so they stay fresh and crisp. Give the salad a quick toss once you arrive to redistribute the dressing, and it’ll look and taste freshly made.
Ingredients
- 2 cans 15 ounces each chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 1 large cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ⅓ cup high-quality olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup dried apricots finely chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds lightly toasted
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, red onion, cucumber, bell pepper, mint, and cilantro. For the best texture and presentation, aim to cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces.2 cans 15 ounces each chickpeas, ½ red onion, 1 large cucumber, 1 red bell pepper, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the salad. Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss well until all ingredients are evenly coated.⅓ cup high-quality olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon paprika, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the chopped dried apricots and gently fold them into the salad, making sure they’re evenly distributed.⅓ cup dried apricots
- Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors can develop and blend.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with toasted sliced almonds for added crunch and a nutty finish.¼ cup sliced almonds
Notes
- Cut everything uniformly: Aim for similar-sized pieces across your vegetables and chickpeas so every forkful has a balanced mix of texture and flavor.
- Use fresh lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice doesn’t give you the same bright, clean flavor. Freshly squeezed makes the dressing taste noticeably more vibrant and fresh.
- Don’t skip the rest time: Letting the salad sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving allows the spices to bloom and the lemon to fully absorb into the chickpeas and vegetables.
- Toast the almonds fresh: A quick 2 to 3 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat deepens their flavor dramatically. Let them cool before adding so they stay crisp longer.
- Store almonds separately: If you’re making the salad ahead or storing leftovers, keep the toasted almonds in a separate container and add them right before serving so they don’t go soft.
- Freeze without the almonds: Portion the salad into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add freshly toasted almonds just before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Chickpea Salad keeps really well in the fridge, which makes it a fantastic make-ahead option. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. I love these airtight glass meal prep containers for storing salads because they don’t absorb odors, and the seal keeps everything fresh.
I recommend storing the toasted almonds separately in a small container or meal prep zip-top bag so they stay crunchy and you can sprinkle them fresh each time you serve. If you’d like to freeze it, the salad without the almonds freezes well for up to 2 months.
Portion it into freezer-safe containers, thaw overnight in the fridge, and give it a good toss before serving. Add fresh toasted almonds right before eating to bring back that satisfying crunch.
If you’re making the salad ahead or storing leftovers, keep the toasted almonds in a separate container and add them right before serving so they don’t go soft.
What to Serve With Chickpea Salad
It’s a naturally gluten-free side dish that pairs beautifully with warm flatbreads or pita for scooping. It also pairs wonderfully with a bowl of lentil soup or a simple, juicy tomato-and-cucumber salad for a light, satisfying vegetarian spread with fresh Mediterranean flavors. If you’re building a mezze-style table, it fits right in next to hummus, roasted vegetables, and stuffed grape leaves.
It’s also a great topper for grain bowls. Spoon it over a bed of couscous, bulgur, or farro, and you’ve got a complete meal with great texture and flavor contrast. A drizzle of extra lemon juice and a few extra fresh herbs, right before serving, pull everything together beautifully.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
Here are some of my other favorite salad recipes that I think you’re going to love.
