Ingredients
Salad
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed; about 480 g drained
- 1 large English cucumber 350 g trimmed; diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup red onion 60 g, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley 15 g, chopped
- 3 ounces feta cheese 85 g, crumbled; use vegetarian-rennet feta if needed
Lemon dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 45 ml / about 40.5 g
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 45 ml, from about 1 large lemon
- 1 small clove garlic 3 g, finely grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano about 0.5 g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1.5 g; check seasoning after adding feta
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper about 0.6 g
Equipment
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl and whisk
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Serving spoon
- Clean kitchen towel
Instructions
Prepare and toss
- Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas in a colander under cool running water. Let them drain thoroughly, then gently pat away excess surface moisture with a clean kitchen towel.
- Rinse the cucumber, parsley and lemon under running water. Trim and dice the cucumber into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Finely dice the red onion, chop the parsley and juice the lemon. For a milder onion flavor, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and dry well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, measured salt and black pepper until the dressing looks evenly combined.
- Put the drained chickpeas, cucumber, red onion and parsley in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Fold in the feta last so some crumbles stay intact. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Toss once more. Taste a forkful that includes feta before deciding whether it needs more seasoning. Divide into four generous side servings. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4 servingsCalories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 34.3gProtein: 12.4gFat: 17.8gSaturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 647mgPotassium: 334mgFiber: 8.5gSugar: 7.2gCalcium: 184mgIron: 2mg
Video
Notes
Chickpeas: The cans are already cooked. Use about 480 g after draining; canned yields vary. You may substitute the same weight of fully cooked, cooled chickpeas, but cooking dried chickpeas is not included in the timing.
Cucumber: English cucumber needs no peeling. For a standard cucumber, peel tough skin and remove a watery seed cavity before measuring 350 g.
Storage: Refrigerate covered at 40°F (4°C) or below and enjoy within 2 days for best texture. Keep total time out of refrigeration below 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Freezing is not recommended because thawed cucumber loses its crunch.
Nutrition: Estimated per quarter of the recipe using USDA ingredient data for rinsed, drained canned chickpeas and all of the measured dressing and feta. Brands and drained yields vary. Contains milk. Bread and optional variations are excluded.
Cost: Approximately US$7.00 for the whole recipe, or US$1.75 per serving, using prorated sample US grocery prices and pantry allowances. Excludes tax, delivery and unused package contents; local prices vary.
Video companion: Suzy Karadsheh of The Mediterranean Dish demonstrates the same no-cook method of whisking a lemon dressing, preparing chickpeas and cucumber, and tossing the salad gently. Her version adds tomatoes, roasted peppers, avocado and mint, uses Dijon mustard, Aleppo pepper and sumac, and omits feta. Follow this card’s quantities, oregano dressing and feta finish for the version pictured here.
