Bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors, this salad combines the goodness of garbanzo beans with crisp veggies and a zesty dressing. It's an easy chickpea salad recipe that's ideal for meal prep, quick lunches, or a light side dish. Plus, it's packed with plant-based protein and fiber-rich chickpeas, making it a healthy addition to a vegan diet.

Bean salads are my favorite dishes to make for summer gatherings. They are such easy salad recipes that can be made ahead of time and can be served in room (or summer outdoor) temperatures. We headed to my mom's house for a family gathering the other day, and she called me to inform me she had already made the bean salad. I had to laugh, she knew that was probably what I would have brought over. But I also loved that that is what she wanted to make. Needless to say, I am excited to add this flavorful Mediterranean chickpea salad to the rotation.

A Note About Beans Salads:

Bean salad is such an easy convenient make head meal that it is in weekly rotation, if not more frequently, at our house. I have an ever-growing list of bean salad recipes with different combinations of dressings, fresh herbs, and a variety of beans. Because I have so many different kinds of recipes, I never get old with this simple and satisfying dish. With that said, I think in almost all cases, the bean type could be swapped in each recipe. The dressings, fresh herbs, and other vegetable combinations will work well with all kinds of beans. Here are some of my other bean salad recipes: 3-bean salad, white bean, Black Bean and Garbanzo Bean Salad, Chickpea and Kidney Bean Salad, edamame salad recipe, Italian cannellini, kidney bean, and black bean and corn.

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Ingredient Notes
Instructions
How to Serve
Tips, Tricks, and Alterations
Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Garbanzo Beans

Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, are the star of this salad. They offer a hearty texture and are a great source of plant-based protein. If you want to learn more about this essential pantry staple, check out my full post about the amazing chickpea.

Fresh Herbs

A loved family member once asked my husband what all the green stuff in our refrigerator was for. The piles of fresh and sometimes whilted green stuff are the result of my habit of buying fresh herbs almost every time I am at the grocery store. Now my husband and I refer to the "green stuff" all the time, and he has come to the conclusion that it's the essential ingredient to most of the dishes I make.

This salad is a great example of the magic of the green stuff. A mix of fresh dill and fresh mint is my favorite combination for this salad. I have used fresh parsley, cilantro, or green onions when that's what I have on hand- resulting in a slightly different flavor but still delicious salad. Dried herds will not work for this recipe.

Dressing

The dressing is a simple yet flavorful blend of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, fresh ground pepper, and a hint of red pepper flakes for a subtle kick.

Instructions

Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic cloves, salt, fresh ground pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.

Prepare the Garbanzo Beans: Drain and rinse 4 cans of garbanzo beans. In a large bowl, combine the beans with the chopped red onion and pour the dressing over them. Mix until the beans and onion are fully coated. Let this mixture marinate for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.

Chop the Veggies: Finely chop ½ cup of red bell pepper, ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, 1 cup of English cucumbers, and 1 cup of mixed fresh herbs (dill, green onion, mint, parsley).

Combine and Serve: Add the chopped veggies to the marinated garbanzo beans. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

How to Serve

On a bed of greens for a quick salad.
As a side dish for grilled meats or fish.
In a pita or wrap for an easy lunch.
Topped with a bit of feta cheese for extra flavor.
Alongside other Mediterranean dishes for a full meal.

Tips, Tricks, and Alterations

More Fresh Herbs: Feel free to add more or substitute with fresh basil, cilantro, or oregano.
Cheese Option: Add some crumbled feta cheese for a creamy and salty element.
More fresh vegetables: As a legume lover- the recipe is heavy on the beans-to-veg ratio. But feel free to add more crunchy cucumbers, juicy grape tomatoes, or bell peppers. Get creative and add kalamata olives, creamy avocado, chopped iceberg lettuce, or shredded kale.
Different Beans: You can swap garbanzo beans with cannellini beans or add them to a mixed bean salad.
Vinegar Swap: If you don't have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are great options.

If you’ve tried this Garbanzo Bean Salad recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.

Recipe

Garbanzo Bean Salad

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Ingredients

4 cans garbanzo beans chickpeas
½ cup red onion chopped
1 cup red bell pepper chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
½ cup fresh herbs dill, green onion, mint, parsley, finely chopped
1 ½ cup English cucumbers chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of fresh ground pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes until well combined.
Prepare the Garbanzo Beans: Drain and rinse 4 cans of garbanzo beans. In a large bowl, combine the beans with the chopped red onion and pour the dressing over them. Mix until the beans and onion are fully coated. Let this mixture marinate for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.
Chop the Veggies: Finely chop ½ cup of red bell pepper, ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, 1 cup of English cucumbers, and 1 cup of mixed fresh herbs (dill, green onion, mint, parsley).
Combine and Serve: Add the chopped veggies to the marinated garbanzo beans. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Garbanzo Bean Salad