Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe

I combined vegetables, chickpeas, tuna, and feta with a simple lemon dressing in this Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad, a straightforward Tuna Feta Salad for an easy lunch.

I threw together this Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad on a whim and it surprised me. Chickpeas give the salad a creamy, nutty backbone, and tuna makes it filling enough to skip a heavy dinner.

The flavors keep jumping around your mouth, little surprises that make you take another forkful. I like that it feels clever without being fussy, perfect for days when I want good food but not another project.

It’s weird how something so simple can feel new, and I keep finding excuses to make it. Try it if you want a quick change from the usual; it’s on my Low Protein Recipes notes.

Ingredients

• Chickpeas provide fiber and plant protein, keep you full, little nutty taste
• And tuna adds lean animal protein, omega three fats, savory briny flavor
• Cherry tomatoes bring acidity, juiciness and bright sweetness to the salad
• Cucumber keeps salad crisp and fresh, mostly water, cool mild flavor
• Kalamata olives give salty, tangy depth and healthy monounsaturated fats
• Feta crumbles add creamy salty tang, calcium and savory richness
• Olive oil binds flavors, adds heart healthy fat and silky mouthfeel
• Lemon juice brightens, adds citrus acidity and cuts through richness
• Parsley and mint freshen everything, give herbaceous lift and vitamin K
• Red onion and garlic add aromatic bite, mild heat and savory depth

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 2 (5 oz) cans tuna in olive oil drained (or in water if you prefer)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 medium cucumber seeded and diced
• 1/3 cup red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional but tasty)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped (optional)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 large lemon juiced (about 3 tbsp)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp capers drained (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make this

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well and drain the tuna; if tuna came in oil reserve a tablespoon of that oil for flavor, otherwise just drain completely. Flake the tuna with a fork into bite sized pieces.

2. Prep the veg: halve the cherry tomatoes, seed and dice the cucumber (seeding keeps the salad from getting soggy), thinly slice the red onion, halve the Kalamata olives, drain the capers, crumble the feta, chop the parsley and mint, and mince the garlic.

3. If your cucumber is extra wet, toss the dice with a pinch of salt and let sit 5 minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel. This little trick keeps the dressing from getting diluted.

4. Make the dressing in a small bowl: whisk together the lemon juice (about 3 tbsp), 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, the minced garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you reserved tuna oil, whisk that in for extra richness.

5. In a large bowl combine chickpeas, flaked tuna, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and capers. Add the chopped parsley and mint.

6. Add the crumbled feta (optional but tasty) to the bowl, then pour the dressing over everything.

7. Gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the tuna too much; use a folding motion with a spatula or two forks so you keep nice chunks of fish.

8. Taste and adjust: add more salt, pepper or lemon if it needs brightness. If your tuna was packed in water you might want an extra drizzle of olive oil.

9. Let the salad sit 10-15 minutes at room temp or chill for up to 30 minutes so the flavors marry. Serve with crusty bread or over greens; stores in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Can opener — for the chickpeas and tuna cans
2. Fine mesh strainer or colander to drain and rinse the chickpeas (and drain tuna)
3. Large mixing bowl for tossing the salad
4. Small bowl for the dressing and a whisk to emulsify it
5. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon for oils and vinegar
6. Chef knife and cutting board to chop tomatoes, cucumber, onion and herbs
7. Fork to flake the tuna and 1 spatula or two more forks to gently fold everything together
8. Citrus juicer or reamer to get the lemon juice out easy, plus paper towels to pat the cucumber dry if needed

FAQ

Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chickpeas: swap with cannellini or great northern beans, similar texture and protein, use same amount.
• Tuna (canned): try canned salmon, flaked cooked chicken, or double the chickpeas for a vegetarian fix, salmon keeps that oily richness while chicken makes it leaner.
• Kalamata olives: replace with Castelvetrano or pitted green olives for a milder bite, or chopped sun‑dried tomatoes for a tangy sweet note.
• Feta: use crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan, or skip it and add extra capers or olives to keep the saltiness up.

Pro Tips

– Always drain and rinse the chickpeas well and if your tuna came in oil save about a tablespoon of that oil to whisk into the dressing. If it was packed in water, add an extra drizzle of good olive oil instead. This gives the salad real depth without extra salt.

– Stop cucumber sogginess: toss the diced cucumber with a pinch of salt, let it sit 5 minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel. Do this before adding the dressing or the whole salad gets watery fast.

– Make the dressing separately and whisk it until it’s a little emulsified so it clings to everything. Add salt last because the olives, capers and feta can already be salty, and taste as you go. Dijon helps the dressing bind so it wont split.

– Be gentle when you mix. Fold the tuna in with a spatula or two forks so you keep chunky bites instead of a mash. Also, add the feta right before serving if you want it to stay a bit firmer, and let the salad sit 10 to 30 minutes at room temp so the flavors marry.