Healthy Easy Cucumber Chickpea Salad (Printable)

A vibrant salad combining cucumber, chickpeas, and lemon vinaigrette for a fresh, wholesome dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 1 (15 oz) can 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

# Directions:

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 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can pour a glass of water, yet tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The chickpeas deliver real staying power, so you won't be hunting for snacks an hour later.
  • It's flexible enough to work with whatever herbs or vegetables you have hanging around your kitchen.
02 -
  • Separate your dressing from the salad if you're making this ahead; the cucumber will weep liquid and turn everything soggy after an hour.
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas, or you'll taste the metallic tin flavor no matter what else you do.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it before pouring instead of whisking, which saves dishes and works just as well.
  • Buy pre-rinsed chickpeas if they're available at your store, because it saves five minutes and tastes noticeably better than the canned kind you have to drain yourself.
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