Ingredients:

  • 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, thoroughly drained and rinsed
  • 1 large English cucumber, diced (approx. 300g)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (approx. 250g)
  • 0.5 red onion, finely diced (approx. 60g)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced (approx. 150g)
  • 0.5 cup (75g) Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 0.5 cup (115g) Greek feta cheese, crumbled
  • 0.5 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 0.25 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large clove garlic, grated
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Diced the 0.5 red onion and place it in the bottom of your large bowl with the 3 tbsp lemon juice. While the onion mellows, dice your English cucumber, green pepper, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Ensure all vegetables are roughly the same size as a chickpea for a consistent spoonful experience.
  2. In a small jar, combine the 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard, 0.5 tsp sea salt, and 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper. Shake vigorously until the mixture looks opaque and slightly thickened.
  3. Add the rinsed chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, and halved Kalamata olives to the bowl with the onions. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently with large spoons.
  4. Gently fold in the 0.5 cup crumbled feta and the fresh herbs (parsley and mint) at the very end. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes at room temperature before serving to allow the salt to penetrate the chickpeas.