Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad

This delicious Mediterranean chickpea tuna salad is perfect for anyone who loves fresh, healthy meals that come together super quickly! You’ll get a protein-packed lunch that tastes like sunshine and keeps you satisfied for hours.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 20 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Omega-3, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 357 Calories, 19g Fat, 23g Carbs, 21g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Lemon juice: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, which gives this salad that bright, zesty flavor we all love. Fresh is always best, but bottled works too if that’s what you have!

Nonpareil capers: Just 1 tablespoon of these tiny flavor bombs, rinsed and chopped up. They add the most amazing briny pop to every bite.

Shallot: One tablespoon of finely chopped shallot brings a gentle onion flavor that’s not too strong. If you don’t have shallots, a bit of red onion works great too!

Salt and pepper: A quarter teaspoon of each to season everything perfectly. You can always add more to taste later.

Chickpeas: One 15-ounce can of no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed. These little protein powerhouses make this salad so filling and satisfying.

Oil-packed tuna: One 6.7-ounce jar, drained. The oil-packed variety tastes so much better than water-packed and adds extra richness.

Cherry tomatoes: One cup of these sweet little gems, cut in half. They burst with flavor and add beautiful color to your salad.

English cucumber: One cup thinly sliced for the most refreshing crunch. English cucumbers are perfect because they’re not bitter and have fewer seeds.

Feta cheese: Half a cup of crumbled feta brings that creamy, tangy Mediterranean flavor that ties everything together beautifully.

Fresh dill: Two tablespoons chopped up adds such a lovely fresh herb flavor. If you don’t have fresh, you can use a teaspoon of dried dill instead.

Extra-virgin olive oil: Three tablespoons of good quality olive oil makes the dressing rich and smooth.

Baby spinach: Three cups of tender baby spinach leaves create the perfect fresh bed for all these amazing flavors.

How to Make Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad

Step 1: Mix the lemon juice, chopped capers, shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes so all the flavors can get to know each other.

Step 2: While that’s resting, grab another large bowl and toss together the chickpeas, drained tuna, halved tomatoes, sliced cucumber, crumbled feta, and chopped dill. Everything should be mixed up nicely.

Step 3: Whisk the olive oil into your lemon juice mixture until it looks smooth and creamy. Spoon about 5 tablespoons of this dressing into your chickpea mixture and toss everything to coat.

Step 4: Add the baby spinach to the remaining dressing in the large bowl and toss until the leaves are lightly coated. Divide this dressed spinach between 4 plates and top each one with about 1¼ cups of the chickpea mixture.

Easy and Quick Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad Version

Want to make this even faster? You can totally skip the resting time for the dressing and just mix everything together at once! Use pre-chopped vegetables from the salad bar at your grocery store. The flavors will still be amazing, and you’ll save yourself about 10 minutes of prep time.

Serving Ideas

This salad is a complete meal all by itself, but it’s also fantastic stuffed into pita pockets or served with some warm crusty bread. You could also serve it alongside some crispy baked sweet potato wedges or a simple bowl of creamy tomato soup for a more filling meal.

Storage

You can make this salad ahead through step 3 and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. Just keep the spinach separate and dress it right before serving so it stays fresh and crisp. Store everything in airtight containers at 40°F or below.

Substitutions

No feta cheese? Try goat cheese or even some diced avocado instead. Don’t have dill? Fresh parsley or basil work wonderfully too. You can swap the chickpeas for white beans or even cooked quinoa if you prefer. Can’t find shallots? A tablespoon of finely diced red onion does the trick perfectly!

Pro Tips

• Rinse those chickpeas: Always rinse canned chickpeas to remove excess sodium and that slightly metallic taste.
• Let the dressing rest: Those 5 minutes really do make a difference in developing the flavors.
• Dry your spinach: Make sure your spinach is completely dry so the dressing sticks better.
• Taste and adjust: Always taste before serving and add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.

FAQs

Can I make this salad without tuna?

You bet! This recipe works beautifully as just a chickpea salad. You might want to add some extra feta cheese or a handful of toasted nuts for more protein and flavor.

How long will this salad keep in the fridge?

The chickpea mixture will stay fresh for up to 2 days in the fridge. Just remember to keep the spinach separate and dress it fresh each time you serve it.

Can I use water-packed tuna instead?

Sure! Water-packed tuna works fine, though the oil-packed version does add more flavor and richness. If you use water-packed, you might want to add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the dressing.

What if I don’t like capers?

No worries! You can leave them out completely or try chopped green olives instead. They’ll give you a similar briny flavor that’s really tasty.

I hope you love this Mediterranean chickpea tuna salad as much as my family does! Let me know how it turns out for you and if you try any fun variations. I always love hearing about your cooking adventures!