Healthy Easy Cucumber Chickpea Salad (Print Version)

A fresh mix of cucumber, chickpeas, and lemon vinaigrette for a flavorful, light dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely diced red onion, chopped parsley, and mint leaves.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you finish your first cup of coffee.
  • The lemon vinaigrette is so bright and clean that it makes vegetables taste like the best version of themselves.
  • It's naturally filling thanks to the chickpeas, so you won't find yourself hungry an hour later.
02 -
  • Keep the dressing separate from the vegetables if you're making this ahead for meal prep—this prevents the cucumber and tomatoes from getting soggy and watery.
  • The quality of your lemon juice matters here, so really do squeeze fresh lemons if you can; it's the soul of the vinaigrette and worth the extra minute of effort.
03 -
  • Pat your cucumbers dry after dicing them, because excess moisture is the enemy of a crisp salad—a paper towel takes two seconds and makes a real difference.
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it for juice, because once it's halved, it becomes slippery and harder to work with safely.
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