Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad

Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad ~ fresh tomatoes, cucumber, protein packed chick peas and tangy feta in a light, lemony-dill dressing. So easy ~ assembles in under 10 minutes for a great side dish or lunch.

Dorothy was right. There really is no place like home. We just got back Saturday after a lazy month in Florida eating way too much delicious but not-so-good-for-us food, cocktails *may* have been served mid-afternoon, binge reading (list down below), kayaking, shark tooth hunting and toes in the sand most days.

The trip was made even better with visits from our good friends and when our kids all came down for a week. Arriving home, there were all sorts of big girl stuff that needed attention like laundry, sorting through mail, unpacking and trying to get back on a smarter eating path starting with this Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad.

We’ve driven to Florida most winters ever since our kids were small, piling everyone and practically everything we owned into the minivan.

The kids were armed with a supply of things to do on the ride, including a new outfit or three for Barbie, new crayons and coloring books, a game or two and a kids AAA Triptik (who remembers triptiks?) that guided them through the journey (even though it was a straight shot down I-75).

Years later my husband rigged a small portable TV/VCR combo up for them and they watched Jim Carey in The Mask from Michigan to Florida (without headsets which meant we heard The Mask for oh, about 1200 miles).

These days it’s just my husband and I and though we’ve given up the minivan, our Jeep is now the family vehicle but we never learn ~ it was still packed with practically everything we own.  

I’ve cooked and blogged the last couple of years we’ve been away and fully intended to share some really tasty seafood recipes but Stella (me) was not findin’ her groove in Florida.

Blackened Mahi Tacos, Shotgun Coconut Shrimp and a snapper recipe I just knew would be home run material. . .were not. We ate it, but none of these dishes were blog-worthy. Or as my husband says ‘good enough for me, but not good enough for the blog?’. Um, yes.

So I found unplugged and at first, I’ll admit, I sweated about it, but the reality is that kitchen debacles  happen to all of us – sometimes we just can’t find our cooking groove and that’s okay.

I told myself I’d get back on track  “when I get home”. . . blogging and eating better. Which brings me ~ finally you may be thinking ~ to this Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad. Its fresh flavors are a great kickoff to spring that’ll take you all the way through summer and your homegrown tomatoes.

Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
• zest from half of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped (optional: more for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

• 16 ounce can of chickpeas (drained)
• 1 English (hot house) cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 3/4 cups of grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 tablespoons of finely minced red onion
• 1 1/4 cup of Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (or more to taste)
   

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl then in a medium mixing bowl combine the salad ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the top, gently blending everything together then refrigerate at least 10 minutes to chill and help the flavors come together.  

Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad is a great side with grilled chicken or steak, but makes quite a bit so you can cut it in half or make the whole batch and save it for a lighter lunch the next day.

It only takes about 10 minutes to put together and doesn’t wilt so it can be made the day before if you’re having a party. 

I used fresh dill today in this Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad recipe, but I’ve also made it with dried dill and that works fine too.

Give the dried dill (or any dry herb) a little rub between your fingers and thumb to wake it up a bit. Fresh dill usually comes in a huge bunch ~ bouquet size ~ so there’s plenty left for Cucumber Dill Salmon.

The promised book list:

1. Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty
2. Goodnight Nobody, Jennifer Weiner
3. The Girl You Lost, Kathryn Croft
4. Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes (of Grey’s Anatomy fame)

A great list of beach or anywhere summer reads. Enjoy! It’s good to be home ~ just wish that included a white, sandy beach, a good book and a Mojito.

Enjoy!

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Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad

Light, fresh salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumber and chickpeas in a lemony vinaigrette.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: light healthy salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
• zest from half of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped (optional: more for garnish)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 16 ounce can of chickpeas (drained)
• 1 English (hot house) cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 3/4 grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 tablespoons finely minced red onion
• 1 1/4 cup Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (or more to taste)

Instructions

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, parsley, dill, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
• Pour the dressing over the top, gently blending everything together then cover and refrigerate at least 10 minutes to chill and help the flavors come together.