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Feta and Cranberry Chickpea Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette in a stoneware bowl with chickpeas, feta crumbles, red cranberries, and green parsley.

Feta and Cranberry Chickpea Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

A zesty, 15-minute no-cook Mediterranean chickpea salad featuring protein-rich garbanzo beans, creamy feta, sweet dried cranberries, red onion, and fresh parsley tossed in an emulsified lemon dressing.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad Base:
  • - 1 can 15 oz chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and thoroughly patted dry
  • - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese sheep or goat milk feta in brine recommended
  • - 1/3 cup unsweetened or apple juice-sweetened dried cranberries
  • - 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
  • - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
  • - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • - 1 tsp pure honey or pure maple syrup
  • - 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced
  • - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • - 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Method
 

PREP THE CHICKPEAS:
  1. Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas in a colander. Transfer them onto clean paper towels or a dish towel and pat completely dry to allow the dressing to adhere properly.
COMBINE SALAD BASE:
  1. In a large salad bowl, combine the dried chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, finely chopped red onion, and fresh parsley.
MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:
  1. In a small jar or glass bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), garlic powder, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Cover tightly and shake or whisk vigorously for 15 seconds until fully emulsified.
TOSS GENTLY:
  1. Pour the emulsified dressing over the salad ingredients. Use a soft silicone spatula to gently fold the ingredients together, keeping the feta crumbles soft and intact.
MARINATE & SERVE:
  1. Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving for optimal flavor absorption.

Notes

- Dietary Compliance: Use apple juice-sweetened cranberries to avoid refined sugars while preserving the bright crimson color.
- Onion Tip: Soak diced red onions in ice water for 5 minutes prior to assembly if you prefer a milder raw onion flavor.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight glass container for up to 4–5 days.