Published: Aug 19, 2026
If you’re tired of lettuce-based side salads that go limp as soon as they’re tossed in dressing, shake things up with this lemony chickpea cucumber salad packed with fresh herbs, crumbled feta, and zippy red onion.
Enjoy This as a Side Salad or Bulk It Up with Your Favorite Protein
Bright, lemony, and loaded with fresh herbs, this chickpea cucumber salad goes with just about everything — from grilled burgers to juicy chicken or salmon fresh off the grill.
Better yet, it’s perfect for meal prep. Make a batch at the beginning of the week, then add poached shrimp, chicken, salmon, or whatever protein you’re craving when you’re ready to turn it into a satisfying main dish.
It’s fresh, filling, and one of those salads that only gets better after a day in the fridge as the lemon dressing soaks into every bite. If making lunch this easy isn’t a win, I don’t know what is!
Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chickpeas — This is a big salad that calls for 3 cans of chickpeas. Rinse and drain them very well before adding to the bowl.
- Cucumber — I suggest using an English cucumber, which has a thinner skin than a traditional cucumber and fewer seeds. Dice the cucumber finely so it’s roughly the same size as the chickpeas.
- Red onion — My favorite type of onion for adding raw to salads.
- Feta — Buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it directly into the salad. Feta sold in a block is so much creamier than the pre-crumbled kind sold in tubs.
- Herbs — I used fresh dill and parsley, but you may use one or the other.
- Lemon dressing — A little olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and fresh garlic is all you need to flavor this sensational chickpea cucumber salad. Sometimes I’ll add a little sugar if the dressing is too zippy for my liking.
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
- Use finely sliced green onion instead of red onion
- Replace the feta with crumbled goat cheese
- Use different herbs, like basil, oregano, or marjoram
- Swap the lemon dressing for Greek dressing or Dijon vinaigrette
How to Make This Chickpea and Cucumber Salad
- Combine the salad fixings. Dump everything into a big bowl. To save on dishes, use the same bowl you plan on serving or storing the salad in.
- Make the dressing. I like to make my dressing in a mason jar so all I have to do is screw on the lid and shake it up.
- Toss to combine. Drizzle the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine.
- Chill before serving. You can eat the chickpea salad right away, but it tastes even better after it’s had time to chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. This gives the chickpeas and cucumber time to soak up some of the dressing and for the flavors to marry.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Chickpea and Cucumber Salad Recipe
If you’re tired of lettuce-based side salads that go limp as soon as they’re tossed in dressing, shake things up with this lemony chickpea cucumber salad packed with fresh herbs, crumbled feta, and zippy red onion.
Print
SaveSaved!
Servings 8
Calories 279kcal
Ingredients
- 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas , rinsed and drained
- 1 English cucumber , diced the same size as chickpeas
- ½ medium red onion , finely chopped
- 8 ounce block of feta cheese , diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Lemon Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lemons , zested and juiced
- 2 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar , optional
Instructions
-
Combine the salad ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the drained 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, 1 English cucumber ½ medium red onion, 8 ounce block of feta cheese, ¼ cup chopped fresh dilland ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.
-
Mix the dressing. In a small bowl or glass container with fitted lid, add ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 lemons zested and juiced, 2 garlic cloves, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon granulated sugar. Whisk or shake until blended.
-
Toss and refrigerate. Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients and gently toss everything together. Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 3 hours for the flavors to develop and bloom.
Notes
Storage: Chickpea salad will last up to 3 days in the fridge, noting that the herbs will wilt and oxidize over time.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 3mg
What to Serve With This Chickpea Salad
More Fresh and Crunchy Chickpea Salad Ideas
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.