Feta & Cranberry Chickpeas with Lemon Vinaigrette
A quick and vibrant zesty salad featuring chickpeas, crumbled feta, and dried cranberries tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a nutritious and refreshing meal or side dish, ready in just 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook, Tossing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, red onion, and chopped parsley. Toss gently to combine, distributing the ingredients evenly for that iconic Feta & Cranberry Chickpeas with Lemon Vinaigrette look and flavor.
- Make the Lemon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the mixture emulsifies into a smooth, golden vinaigrette.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss again until everything is evenly coated. The chickpeas should glisten, the feta should soften slightly, and the cranberries should begin to plump up.
- Chill (Optional, but Recommended): Pop the salad in the fridge for 15–20 minutes before serving. This gives the flavors time to meld and makes it extra refreshing.
Notes
- For a vegan option, substitute feta cheese with a plant-based cheese alternative or omit it entirely.
- Adjust the amount of honey or maple syrup to taste based on preferred sweetness.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best bright flavor in the vinaigrette.
- Chilling the salad enhances the flavor but can be served immediately if short on time.
- Feel free to add more fresh herbs like mint or cilantro for extra freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: chickpea salad, feta cheese salad, cranberry salad, lemon vinaigrette, quick salad, Mediterranean salad, healthy salad
