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Cottage Cheese and Chickpea Salad Recipe

4.9 from 118 reviews

A fresh and nutritious Cottage Cheese and Chickpea Salad combining creamy cottage cheese, protein-packed chickpeas, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, and zesty lemon juice, enhanced with fresh herbs. Perfect as a light lunch or side dish, this salad is easy to prepare, requiring no cooking and ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat or full-fat)
  • 1 cup chickpeas (canned, drained, and rinsed)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 medium cucumber (diced)
  • 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro, chopped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare Chickpeas: Rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly under cold water to remove excess sodium and preserve freshness.
  2. Chop Vegetables: Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion to create fresh and crunchy texture components for the salad.
  3. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add cottage cheese, rinsed chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved tomatoes, chopped red onion, and your choice of fresh herbs.
  4. Add Seasoning: Pour in freshly squeezed lemon juice and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything gently until well combined to evenly distribute flavors.
  5. Chill Salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. This allows all flavors to meld together for a more vibrant taste.
  6. Serve: Spoon the chilled salad into bowls or plates, and garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately for best freshness.

Notes

  • Using low-fat cottage cheese reduces calories if desired.
  • Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro can be substituted based on preference.
  • Chilling the salad improves flavor but it can be served immediately if short on time.
  • Rinsing canned chickpeas helps reduce sodium content.
  • This salad is best consumed within 1-2 days to maintain freshness.

Keywords: cottage cheese salad, chickpea salad, vegetarian salad, healthy salad, Mediterranean salad, easy no-cook recipe