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Tzatziki Chickpea Salad

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Achieve perfect texture contrast! Coarsely mash half the chickpeas, mixing with cooling cucumber, bright lemon, and fresh dill in a creamy Greek yogurt binder.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat recommended)
  • 1/2 cup English cucumber, finely chopped (moisture squeezed out)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, coarsely mash about half of the drained chickpeas using a fork or potato masher, leaving the remaining half whole to maintain texture in the salad.
  2. Step 2: Prepare the fresh components by finely chopping the cucumber and gently pressing out any excess moisture using a paper towel or cheesecloth. Mince the garlic and finely chop the fresh dill.
  3. Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped dill, and kosher salt to create the tzatziki dressing base.
  4. Step 4: Pour the yogurt dressing over the mashed and whole chickpeas. Add the drained cucumber to the bowl, then gently fold all ingredients together until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
  5. Step 5: Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the Tzatziki Chickpea Salad for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to properly meld before serving.

Notes

  • Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, stirring gently before serving if the dressing has thinned due to released cucumber moisture.
  • This salad must remain cold; if heavily chilled, let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving to allow the fresh flavors to fully bloom.
  • Serve this versatile salad in butter lettuce cups, on toasted pita bread, or spread generously onto whole-grain bread for a hearty lunch sandwich.
  • Thoroughly squeeze the moisture out of the finely chopped cucumber before mixing, as this critical step prevents the rich Greek yogurt dressing from becoming watery.
  • Author: Kristin Romick
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American