Mediterranean Chickpea Crunch Salad
This Mediterranean chickpea salad is my go-to budget-friendly, high-fibre meal that actually keeps you full. It’s packed with colourful veg, fresh herbs, and crispy roasted chickpeas for extra crunch. Finished with a simple honey Dijon dressing, it’s proof that healthy eating can be easy, delicious, and affordable.
It works beautifully as a light lunch on its own, or as a side with chicken, fish, or steak.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Servings
Ingredients:
Salad
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
- ¼ cucumber, diced
- 2 small peppers, diced
- Handful cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 2 handfuls fresh herbs (I used rocket, coriander, and spring onion)
- 100 g feta, crumbled
Roasted chickpeas
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Olive oil spray (or 1 tsp olive oil)
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven or air fryer to 180°C.
- Roast the chickpeas: Pat chickpeas dry, toss with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and olive oil spray. Roast/air fry for 20 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, Dijon, Italian herbs, chilli flakes, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Prep the veg: Chop cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and herbs.
- Assemble the salad: Add veg + herbs to a large bowl, crumble in feta, drizzle over dressing, then top with the crispy chickpeas.
- Serve and enjoy — on its own or as a side to fish/chicken/steak.
Notes:
💡 For maximum crunch, dry the chickpeas well before roasting.
💡 Want it more filling? Add a protein on the side (chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs) or extra chickpeas.
💡 This is a great “use what you have” salad, swap veg based on what’s in your fridge.
Course
Cuisine
About
Kirby is a South African Dietitian (BSc. Dietetics) with expertise in PCOS, Endometriosis, Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Fertility. She is passionate about empowering women with the knowledge, skills and tools to nurture themselves from the inside out and thrive with PCOS.
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