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I adore the ease and freshness of this cucumber chickpea salad - it's a great light lunch for two or a side dish for four. Perfect for a day when you just don't want to turn on the stove and need something quick!

The crunch from the crisp cucumbers pairs beautifully with the creaminess of the chickpeas and feta. It's rounded out with some lovely allium flavor from the slivered shallot.

Chickpea cucumber salad with feta and shallots in a large glass bowl.

What's not to love about an easy salad recipe? This one might only have a few ingredients, but it still packs in a punch of flavor. I love the bright, crispness of the cucumbers too - they make this salad.

This salad travels well and develops great flavor a day or two in (the shallot mellows a little too), which makes it great for meal prep. You can make it ahead of time and save it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A bowl of chickpeas, several small cucumbers, a bowl of feta, a halved lemon, a bowl of olive oil, a shallot, and a bowl of salt and pepper.

Chickpea Salad Ingredients

Canned Chickpeas - chickpeas are also referred to as garbanzo beans, which you may see on the label.
Fresh cucumbers (Persian cucumbers) - if you can't find small Persian cucumbers, you can substitute them for one large English cucumber or two hothouse cucumbers (peel the skin off of these as it tends to be bitter). Any crunchy cucumbers will do.
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Shallot - while I prefer a shallot, if you don't have one, red onion will also work in this recipe.
Fresh Lemon Juice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to make this simple chickpea salad

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumbers, feta, and shallot.

A large glass bowl with chickpeas, feta, cucumbers, and a chopped shallot.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. This makes a quick salad dressing for the salad. Pour across the chickpea cucumber mixture. Toss to combine.

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

A closeup shot of a bowl of cucumber chickpea salad with a silver spoon.

Dried Chickpea Tips

If you don't want to use canned chickpeas, you can use dried chickpeas. A can of chickpeas is 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas. Here's how to make dried chickpeas in an instant pot or on the stovetop.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Feta

This bright and fresh cucumber chickpea salad with feta is a great side dish or light lunch.

4.77 from 34 votes

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Prep Time: 8

Additional Time: 4

Total Time: 12

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Wilson

Ingredients

14 ounces canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
5 Persian cucumbers sliced into rounds
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine the chickpeas, cucumbers, feta, and shallot in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour across the chickpea cucumber mixture. Toss to combine.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Substitution note - If you can't find small cucumbers, substitute them for one large, English cucumber or 2 hothouse cucumbers (peel the skin off the hothouse cucumbers, it's often bitter).

Storage - save lefotvers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. There's no need to heat it up before you serve it, but you can let it come to room temperature for 10 minutes if you'd li