I present my Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad, a veggie-packed, lemon-dressed bowl that serves as an unexpected Tuna Feta Salad option for an easy, stress-free lunch.

Jump to Recipe

I love a salad that feels like smart improvisation, and this Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad does exactly that. I keep cans of chickpeas and tuna in my pantry so it’s always around for a weeknight when I need something bright.

The flavors are crunchy, tangy and surprisingly filling, not the sad desk lunch you’d expect. People call it my top Tuna Salad Lunch Ideas and sometimes praise it as a Tuna Healthy Salad that makes you question bland salad rules.

It’s the kind of dish that keeps surprising me, every single time. Try it once and youll understand.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Chickpeas are high in fiber and plant protein, keep you full longer.
Tuna adds lean animal protein and omega 3s, savory, slightly oily.
Extra virgin olive oil gives healthy fats and fruitiness, makes salad richer.
Feta brings salty tang and some protein, creamy bits, not super heavy.
Lemon juice adds bright sourness, vitamin C, lifts flavors, wakes everything up.
Tomatoes add sweet acidity, juicy texture and antioxidants, they pop.
Kalamatas give salty briny punch, healthy monounsaturated fats and bold flavor.
Capers are tiny salty sour buds, punchy, low calorie, add brine.
Parsley adds fresh herb brightness, a little bitterness and vitamin K.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas drained and rinsed

2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil or water, drained and flaked

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 small red bell pepper, diced (optional)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, minced or grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional)

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas really well and pat them a bit dry so the salad won’t get soggy.

2. Drain the tuna and flake it with a fork, if it’s packed in oil you can save a teaspoon or so to add to the dressing for extra flavor.

3. Prep the veggies: halve the cherry tomatoes, seed and dice the cucumber, thinly slice or finely chop the red onion, dice the red bell pepper if using, halve the Kalamata olives, chop the parsley and crumble the feta.

4. Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper until it’s smooth and slightly emulsified.

5. In a large bowl combine the chickpeas, flaked tuna, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, red bell pepper and capers if you’re using them.

6. Pour most of the dressing over the mixture and toss gently so the chickpeas and tuna don’t break apart too much, add more dressing if it looks dry.

7. Fold in the crumbled feta and chopped parsley, save a little of each for topping if you want it to look pretty.

8. Taste and adjust seasonings, remember olives and capers are salty so add salt slowly, you might want a bit more lemon or olive oil depending on how bright you like it.

9. Let it sit about 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature or chill 30 minutes so the flavors meld, then give it a quick stir before serving.

10. Serve on greens, with pita or crackers, or scoop into a sandwich, and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for tossing the chickpeas, tuna and veggies
2. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain and really rinse the chickpeas
3. Can opener to open the tuna and chickpea cans
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley and feta
5. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon or small measuring cup for lemon juice, oil, vinegar and mustard
6. Small bowl or jar plus a whisk or fork to make and emulsify the dressing
7. Large spoon or salad tongs to gently toss so the tuna doesn’t fall apart too much
8. Airtight container for storing leftovers in the fridge

FAQ

Can I use tuna packed in water instead of olive oil? Yes, you can. Tuna in water is fine, it will just be less rich so add an extra tablespoon or two of the olive oil from the recipe or use a splash of the reserved oil if you have oil-packed tuna, that keeps the salad moist and flavorful.

How long will this salad keep in the fridge? Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Tomatoes and feta will get softer and the chickpeas will soak up dressing over time, so it tastes best day 1 or 2.

Can I make this ahead for a picnic or meal prep? Yes, but do some prep separate. Mix the dressing and keep it aside, chop veggies ahead, then toss everything together within a few hours of serving so tomatoes dont get soggy and chickpeas stay firm.

How do I stop it from being too salty because of olives, capers and feta? Rinse olives and capers well and taste before adding extra salt. You can cut the feta amount in half or use a low-sodium version, and use less salt in the dressing since those ingredients bring a lot of salt on their own.

Can I make this vegan or substitute the tuna? Absolutely, swap tuna for roasted eggplant, marinated artichoke hearts or extra chickpeas/white beans for protein. Replace feta with a plant-based crumb or omit it, and the salad still stays very Mediterranean.

Any tips to keep the chickpeas from getting mushy? Rinse and dry the canned chickpeas well, then fold ingredients gently instead of stirring aggressively. You can also roast the chickpeas for 10 to 15 minutes to dry them out and add crunch, or only dress them right before serving.

Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chickpeas: swap with cannellini or great northern beans, or cooked green lentils; if you use lentils drain them well so the salad doesnt get soggy
Tuna: replace with canned salmon or sardines in oil for more flavor, or shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer no fish
Feta: use crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata, or shaved Parmesan for a salty punch; choose a firmer cheese so it holds up
Kalamata olives: sub with sliced Castelvetrano or green olives, or chopped sun dried tomatoes for a different kind of savory tang

Pro Tips

1) Dry the chickpeas really well, and for contrast toast about a third of them on a sheet pan until golden (400 F, 12 to 18 minutes) then toss into the salad for crunch. It makes the salad way more interesting and keeps it from getting one-note.

2) Save a teaspoon or two of the tuna oil to whisk into the dressing, it adds a savory boost, but go easy on extra salt since olives and capers are already salty. Also try soaking the sliced red onion in cold water 5 to 10 minutes if you want to mellow the bite.

3) Emulsify the dressing by whisking the mustard into the lemon juice first then slowly streaming in the olive oil, that makes it cling to chickpeas better. Add a little lemon zest and a tiny pinch of sugar if it tastes flat, and fold the tuna in gently so it stays in chunks.

4) Let the salad rest at room temp 20 to 30 minutes before serving so flavors meld, but if you make it ahead keep the dressing separate or add a splash more olive oil just before serving or the chickpeas can soak it up and get dry.

Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I present my Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad, a veggie-packed, lemon-dressed bowl that serves as an unexpected Tuna Feta Salad option for an easy, stress-free lunch.

Servings

servings

Calories

451

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl for tossing the chickpeas, tuna and veggies
2. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain and really rinse the chickpeas
3. Can opener to open the tuna and chickpea cans
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley and feta
5. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon or small measuring cup for lemon juice, oil, vinegar and mustard
6. Small bowl or jar plus a whisk or fork to make and emulsify the dressing
7. Large spoon or salad tongs to gently toss so the tuna doesn’t fall apart too much
8. Airtight container for storing leftovers in the fridge

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas drained and rinsed
2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil or water, drained and flaked
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 small red bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced or grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional)

Directions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas really well and pat them a bit dry so the salad won't get soggy.
Drain the tuna and flake it with a fork, if it's packed in oil you can save a teaspoon or so to add to the dressing for extra flavor.
Prep the veggies: halve the cherry tomatoes, seed and dice the cucumber, thinly slice or finely chop the red onion, dice the red bell pepper if using, halve the Kalamata olives, chop the parsley and crumble the feta.
Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper until it's smooth and slightly emulsified.
In a large bowl combine the chickpeas, flaked tuna, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, red bell pepper and capers if you're using them.
Pour most of the dressing over the mixture and toss gently so the chickpeas and tuna don't break apart too much, add more dressing if it looks dry.
Fold in the crumbled feta and chopped parsley, save a little of each for topping if you want it to look pretty.
Taste and adjust seasonings, remember olives and capers are salty so add salt slowly, you might want a bit more lemon or olive oil depending on how bright you like it.
Let it sit about 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature or chill 30 minutes so the flavors meld, then give it a quick stir before serving.
Serve on greens, with pita or crackers, or scoop into a sandwich, and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.