Italian Chickpea Salad
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In this easy Italian chickpea salad, the soft chickpeas are tossed with juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, red onion, basil, and a simple olive oil dressing. Simple, fresh, and flavorful. The perfect summer lunch!
Published in March 2021/Updated in May 2025
I can’t stress enough how chickpeas make a terrific pantry staple. They’re inexpensive, convenient, and pack plenty of nutrients and texture. It’s a breeze turning them into creamy garlic chickpea soup, hummus, and nourishing pasta dishes. For more inspiration, you might check out these fabulous chickpea recipes!
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In this recipe, we’re taking the salad route and making a scrumptious Italian chickpea salad that is simple, quick, and full of delicious flavours. Think of sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella combined with nutrient-dense chickpeas and bright, fresh basil.
It’s a breeze to whip up, and everything is combined with a simple, delicious dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and seasoning.
To be honest, you hardly need a recipe for it, but if you use good-quality ingredients, you’re in for a treat!
Serve it with crispy Italian panini or warm, soft focaccia to make a mouthwatering chickpea salad that is sure to please family and friends. The perfect summer recipe that makes a terrific quick lunch and side dish for BBQs or picnics.
List of the ingredients
- Chickpeas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh mozzarella (packed in water)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
- Vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
How to make this Italian chickpea salad
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Add the salad ingredients to a salad bowl.
- Shake the dressing ingredients in a jar until emulsified.
- Add the dressing and toss until well combined and coated.
- Serve with croutons, some easy panini bread, focaccia, or crispy breadsticks. Done!
Recipe notes
Italian chickpea salad ingredients
Chickpeas: I keep this simple by using canned chickpeas, but home-cooked chickpeas are an excellent option, of course. Cooking pre-soaked chickpeas on the stove takes 1 to 1 ½ hours, and 17-18 minutes in the instant pot.
Tomatoes: Make sure the tomatoes are ripe but still firm, not too soft. Cherry tomatoes are best for this recipe, but it’s fine to use any juice, sweet tomatoes you have on hand.
Onion: Use only fresh onions that look hard and shiny. Either white or red onions are fine.
Mozzarella: You want to use fresh mozzarella packed in water, not the low-fat or shredded counterpart. Ciliegine (I found them at TJ’s), pearls, or even a single mozzarella cut into cubes work just fine.
Basil: Fresh basil leaves are a must in this Italian chickpea salad. If you have leftover basil, you can use it up in this delicious tomato basil pasta or cherry tomato pasta.
Dressing: For a simple, flavoursome Italian dressing, we combine good-quality extra virgin olive oil with seasoning, a bit of red wine vinegar and garlic. That’s it. I don’t recommend using another oil or balsamic glaze in its place. The glazes are usually overpowering with sweetness, and they’re not popular ingredients in Italian cuisine.
Quick Salad recipes you’ll love!
- Spicy chickpea salads
- Cannellini bean salad
- Artichoke salad with beans
- Lentil tabbouleh
- Mediterranean bean salad
- Winter salad
If you make this Italian chickpea salad or if you have any questions, let me know by leaving a comment! I would love to hear from you. x
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Italian Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 2 can (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 10 oz (300 grams) cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
- 5 oz (150 grams) mozzarella (ciliegine or 1 mozzarella cut into cubes)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves (shred the large ones and keep the small ones to garnish)
- ½ red or white onion, finely sliced (use more if you wish)
Italian olive oil dressing
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teapsoon grated garlic (about 1 small clove)
Instructions
- Add the tomato halves, mozzarella balls, drained chickpeas, onion slices, and shredded basil leaves to a large bowl.
- Place the dressing ingredients to a glass jar with a lid and shake until well emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed adding more salt and pepper if you like.
- Garnish with the remaining basil leaves (the small leaves look nicer on top), and more freshly ground pepper if you wish.
- For the best flavor (if you have the time), let the salad rest for 30 minutes so the flavors have time to mingle. This salad is best served within a few hours. Enjoy!
