Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad
on Jun 06, 2022, Updated Jul 04, 2024
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This fresh and easy Mediterranean Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad is a healthy side dish or vegetarian main dish. It will be a great addition to your next barbecue, picnic, or potluck.
Summer is a season when salads really hit the spot for me. Fresh, cold, crunchy, and full of delicious seasonal produce. Not to mention they go great with whatever kind of protein you’ve got on the grill.
To be honest my favorite kind of salads are ones that don’t use lettuce. Nothing against greens, I just find the ones without them a little more exciting to eat.
Salads without lettuce or greens are no stranger around here. A couple of my favorites are this Blueberry Peach Feta Salad and this Black Bean and Corn Salsa Salad.
And now I’m adding this Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad to my list of favorites. This salad is Mediterranean in flavor and can be served as a side dish or vegetarian main dish salad.
Ingredients For Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad
Chickpeas – Also called garbanzo beans. They are high in fiber and have a nice texture that holds up well in salads.
Persian or English Cucumbers – I like to use these because the texture is crunchier and you don’t have to peel them or remove any seeds.
Cherry Tomatoes – Sweet and generally taste better than most tomatoes at the store year round. No dicing necessary, just halve them.
Avocado – Creamy and a great source of healthy fat.
Red Onion – Adds sharp flavor to the salad without being as strong of an onion flavor as a yellow onion.
Flat Leaf Parsley – Gives the salad a nice freshness and holds up well in comparison to basil.
Feta – I highly recommend buying a block of feta instead of pre-crumbled. Pre-crumbled feta has anti-caking agents in it with make it dryer. Block feta has a creamier texture and a richer, brinier flavor.
Lemon – Use a fresh lemon vs. bottled lemon juice for the best flavor.
Olive Oil – Always us a good quality extra virgin olive oil for vinaigrettes and dressings. Since the flavor will be noticeable you want it to taste good.
Dijon Mustard – Tangy and acts as an emulsifier in the vinaigrette.
Honey – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the salad.
Dried Oregano – Go with dried Greek oregano since this recipe leans towards Mediterranean flavors.
Garlic Powder – I’m not a fan of raw garlic which is why I used garlic powder. If you prefer fresh garlic, mince or grate it into the vinaigrette. You’ll want to use one clove.
How To Make It
Rinse and drain the chickpeas and add them to a large bowl. Dice the cucumber, halve the tomatoes, cube the feta, chop the parsley, and add them all to the bowl with the chickpeas.
In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, dijon, honey, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Whisk or shake together until it’s well combined.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. I like to start with half and then add more as needed. Lastly, peel and dice the avocado and add it to the salad. Gently stir it in being careful not to mash it. Always be sure to taste before serving and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegan by eliminating the feta or using a vegan feta and swapping honey with maple syrup.
- Chickpeas may be substituted with cannellini beans.
- If you can’t have dijon mustard, just eliminate it from the vinaigrette. It will separate more, but will still taste good.
How Long Will The Salad Keep?
Unfortunately, this is a salad that is best served the day it’s made. The longer it sits the more the avocado oxidizes and turns brown and the chickpeas release their starch. If this doesn’t bother you, the taste will still be great the following day.
What To Serve With It
More Chickpea Salads
Did you make this Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Tomato Avocado Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 15 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups diced Persian or English cucumbers
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup cubed feta
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large serving bowl combine the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and feta.
- Add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette into a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until well combined and then pour either half or all of the vinaigrette over the salad depending on your preferences.
- Add in the avocado and gently stir to combine everything being careful not to mash the avocado. Taste for seasoning and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
