Colorful California Greek Chickpea Salad features creamy cubes of avocado in place of feta for a mashup of coastal flavors. It's naturally vegan, simple to make in 15 minutes, and incredibly delicious. If you enjoy chickpeas, Greek salad, and avocados, this is the salad for you!
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California Greek Chickpea Salad is one of my favorite easy meals. Also wonderful as a side dish and popular at potlucks, it's a lettuce-free salad inspired by my vegan Greek salad recipe.
But in place of cubes of feta-style marinated tofu, it stars two of my favorite ingredients: chickpeas and avocados.
Along with briny olives, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, sweet red onions, and a light dressing seasoned with oregano, it's a delightful fusion of Californian and Mediterranean cuisines.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's easy to make in 15 minutes with only 9 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- It's a versatile salad that can be easily customized.
- It combines the flavors of Greek salad with hearty chickpeas and creamy avocado.
Ingredients
- Cucumber: I recommend thinner skinned Persian or English cucumber, if available. Otherwise, if you're using a standard cucumber, you may want to scoop out the seeds.
- Tomatoes: Since they will be diced, any variety including cherry tomatoes can be used.
Amy's tip
Have a strong red onion? Soak the slices in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes to tame it.
Variations
California Greek Chickpea Salad is easy to customize. You can add in other vegetables such as sweet red bell pepper and herbs like fresh parsley or dill. Or give it a spicy kick with sliced pepperoncini.
One recipe tester gave it a Persian twist when she made it a second time. She substituted fresh lemon juice in place of the red wine vinegar and dried mint instead of oregano. Plus she added chopped purple cabbage for a pop of color and crunch.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Instructions
- Place the ingredients in a large salad bowl and carefully toss until well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
- Enjoy right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for later.
Serving suggestions
California Greek Chickpea Salad is a delicious meal on its own or served with other dishes as a side. I also like to bring it to potluck parties because it's substantial enough if there aren't other foods there I want to eat.
If you want to enjoy it as part of a Mediterranean-inspired meal, it pairs well with pita bread and white bean dip, tabbouleh-style quinoa salad, and pesto baked tofu.
Storing
California Greek Chickpea Salad is best enjoyed the day it's made. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to start with dried beans, cook them in advance before making this recipe. You will need ½ cup of dried chickpeas which will yield approximately 1½ cups when cooked.
Yes, garbanzo beans and chickpeas are two different names for the same type of legume.
Chickpeas from a can have already been cooked and are not raw. On the other hand, dried chickpeas must be cooked before they are consumed.
More vegan chickpea salad recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration & fun!
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
California Greek Chickpea Salad
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Ingredients
- 1-15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1½ cups)
- 1 cup avocado, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced (Persian or English, if available)
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup red onion, sliced
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced lengthwise
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl. Gently toss until well combined.1-15 ounce can chickpeas, 1 cup avocado, 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup tomatoes, ½ cup red onion, ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
- Enjoy right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Joy says
this was yummy and will make the Persian one next time. I love the combination salads.
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Joy!