Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium English cucumber, sliced and quartered
- 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup diced red onion, or more to taste
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, whole or halved lengthwise
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cut into ¼-inch cubes
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey, maple syrup, or sugar, optional
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large salad bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, Dijon mustard, honey if using, salt, and pepper.
- While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. You can also combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a lidded jar and shake until combined.
- Pour the desired amount of vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Add the feta cheese and toss gently.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes to let the flavors marinate.
Notes
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces: This makes the salad easier to eat and gives you a little bit of everything in each bite.
- Fun Additions: Artichoke hearts packed in water, hearts of palm, pita chips, canned tuna, cooked chicken, cooked shrimp, couscous, quinoa, chopped heart boiled eggs, cooked beets, pepperoncini, asparagus.
- Make-Ahead: You can prep the vegetables a day in advance. Keeping the tomatoes whole until the day you'll serve the salad may be helpful as tomatoes release so much moisture when cut-up. The vinaigrette can be made 2-4 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
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- Meal Prep Tip: For the crispest texture, keep the feta and the dressing separate until ready to serve. Keeping the tomatoes whole will also prolong the freshness of the salad to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 176 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 17 mg, Sodium: 347 mg, Potassium: 329 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 624 IU, Vitamin C: 54 mg, Calcium: 125 mg, Iron: 1 mg
