Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium English cucumber (sliced and quartered)
- 1 small green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1 small yellow bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- ¼ cup diced red onion (or more to taste)
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives (whole or halved lengthwise)
- 4 ounces feta cheese (crumbled or cut into ¼-inch cubes)
Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey (maple syrup, or sugar, optional)
- Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the Salad Ingredients: Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans. Halve the cherry or grape tomatoes. Slice and quarter the English cucumber. Seed and chop the green and yellow bell peppers. Dice the red onion and halve the Kalamata olives if desired. Place all these ingredients into a large salad bowl.
- Mix the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), salt, and ground black pepper until well combined.
- Emulsify the Dressing: While continuously whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the vinaigrette emulsifies and becomes slightly thickened. Alternatively, combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a lidded jar and shake vigorously until combined.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the desired amount of vinaigrette over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Toss gently to evenly coat the vegetables and garbanzo beans with the dressing.
- Add Feta Cheese: Sprinkle the crumbled or cubed feta cheese over the tossed salad and gently toss again to combine without breaking the cheese too much.
- Serve or Marinate: Serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste, or cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Notes
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese or substitute with a plant-based cheese alternative.
- You can add fresh herbs like parsley or mint for extra flavor.
- The salad can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, although it is best fresh.
- Adjust the amount of vinaigrette to taste, adding more if you prefer a wetter salad.
- Use maple syrup or sugar in place of honey to keep it vegan-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
