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This Mediterranean Salad is super fresh, colorful, and packed with simple ingredients like crisp lettuce, crunchy veggies, canned chickpeas, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, avocado, and a bright lemon-Dijon dressing. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s the kind of big, crunchy, flavor-packed salad that works as a quick lunch, easy side dish, or light dinner.
This Mediterranean-style chopped salad is a masterpiece of texture and flavor. There’s crunch from the lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and bell pepper, creaminess from the avocado, heartiness from the chickpeas, and plenty of salty, tangy, sunshine-filled flavor from the feta, Kalamata olives, and lemon-Dijon dressing. It’s crunchy, creamy, tangy, filling, and ridiculously easy all at once. Basically, big salad energy in the best possible way.
I love making this easy Mediterranean salad for quick lunches, easy weeknight dinners, and warm days when turning on the stove feels wildly unnecessary. It’s lighter than my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, which is more chickpea-forward, and fresher than my Mediterranean Orzo Salad, which is made with pasta. Serve it as-is, or add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, falafel, or warm pita bread to make it extra filling without making life more complicated.
Table of Contents
Mediterranean Salad Ingredients
- Lettuce: I like crisp romaine, but green leaf, butter lettuce, or arugula will also work.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are most convenient and make this salad more filling. Drain and rinse them well before adding. If you prefer cooking chickpeas from scratch, try my easy, no-soak Instant Pot chickpeas.
- Cucumber: I like using English or Persian cucumbers since they have thin skin and fewer seeds.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet cherry or grape tomatoes add color and juiciness. Halve them so they mix easily into the salad.
- Red onion: Adds sharp, savory flavor. If it tastes too strong, soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Bell pepper: Yellow bell pepper adds crunch and sweetness, but red or orange bell pepper also works.
- Kalamata olives: Briny, salty, and very Mediterranean. Use pitted olives to save time.
- Feta cheese: Cubed or crumbled feta adds creamy, salty flavor. Feta packed in brine has the best texture and taste.
- Avocado: Adds creaminess and makes the salad more satisfying. Add it just before serving so it stays fresh.
- Fresh parsley: Adds color and freshness. Fresh mint or dill would also be delicious.
- Lemon-Dijon dressing: Made with your favorite olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, fresh oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. It’s bright, tangy, and simple to make.
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Mediterranean Salad
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop the lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, and parsley. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red onion, slice the olives, cube the feta, and dice the avocado.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until combined.
- Assemble the salad: Add the lettuce, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, olives, feta, and parsley to a large salad bowl.
- Toss and serve: Just before serving, add the avocado and drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Pro Tip! Use a Salad Spinner for Crisp Lettuce and Better Flavor
Making a salad with wet lettuce is one of the quickest ways to end up with soggy greens and watered-down dressing. After washing the lettuce, drain it well, then spin it in a salad spinner until the leaves are as dry as possible. Dry lettuce stays crisp longer and helps the dressing cling to every bite instead of sliding off into the bottom of the bowl.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Salad
This Mediterranean chopped salad works well as a light vegetarian lunch, but it’s also easy to turn into a more filling meal. Here are my favorite ways to serve it:
- Add Protein: For a heartier lunch or dinner, top the salad with sliced Greek chicken, Greek meatballs, Greek chicken souvlaki, baked salmon, grilled shrimp, or crispy falafel. The lemon-Dijon dressing pairs especially well with simple grilled or baked proteins.
- Serve with Pita and Dips: I like to keep things easy and serve this salad with warm pita bread and a creamy Mediterranean dip like hummus, baba ganoush, or whipped feta dip. This is my favorite option when I want a fresh, no-fuss meal.
- Make It a Mediterranean Bowl: Serve this salad over cooked quinoa, lemon rice, or couscous to make it more filling without changing the fresh, crunchy feel. Add extra lemon-Dijon dressing, a spoonful of tzatziki, or a little more feta to bring everything together. For a heartier version with juicy chicken and quinoa, try my Greek chicken bowls.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
To make ahead: Chop the lettuce and vegetables up to 1 day in advance and store them separately from the dressing. Wait to cut the avocado and dress the salad until just before serving.
To store: This salad is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day after dressing. The lettuce will soften and the avocado may brown.
For best results: Store the dressing separately in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Shake or whisk before using.
Meal prep tip: If making this for lunches, layer the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, feta, and dressing separately from the lettuce and avocado. Add lettuce and avocado just before eating.
More Easy Salad Recipes
Recipe Update Note
This recipe has been updated from the original version to be simpler, fresher, and easier to make. It now features crisp romaine, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, feta, avocado, and a bright lemon-Dijon dressing.
If you try making this easy Mediterranean salad recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below, your feedback helps other readers discover (and enjoy) this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Mediterranean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Lemon-Dijon Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the lettuce: Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Wash and dry it well, preferably using a salad spinner, so the dressing does not get watered down.
- Chop the vegetables: Dice the cucumber, red onion, and bell pepper. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the Kalamata olives, and chop the parsley. Wait to dice the avocado until just before serving.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, fresh oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until combined.
- Assemble the salad: Add the chopped lettuce, chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and parsley to a large salad bowl.
- Dress the salad: Just before serving, dice the avocado, add it to the salad, drizzle with the lemon-Dijon dressing, and toss gently.
- Toss and serve: Gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp and the avocado is fresh.
Notes
- Optional additions: Artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, heart of palm, or shredded carrots. You can also add cooked quinoa, couscous, farro, or orzo to make it heartier.
- Make it vegan: Omit the feta or use a dairy-free feta alternative.
- Make ahead: Chop the vegetables and make the dressing up to 1 day in advance. Store the dressing separately and wait to add the avocado until just before serving.
- Storage: This salad is best served fresh. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, but the lettuce will soften and the avocado may brown.
- Dressing storage: Store extra dressing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Shake or whisk before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My go to salad when hosting dinner and always receive compliments on this salad.
Thanks for passing along your guests compliments, Sally 🙂