15-Minute Cottage Cheese Chickpea Salad Recipe
This 15-Minute Cottage Cheese Chickpea Salad is a protein-packed, refreshing, and creamy salad perfect for quick lunches or meal prep. Combining the creamy texture of cottage cheese with the hearty bite of chickpeas and fresh vegetables, this salad is easy to make with no cooking required. It’s gluten-friendly, budget-conscious, and meal prep-friendly, ideal for those seeking a nutritious, satisfying dish with a fresh, crunchy texture and bright lemony dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Fresh Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Dressing & Seasoning
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, as needed
- Pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese and rinsed, drained chickpeas. Stir gently to evenly distribute the cottage cheese among the chickpeas, creating a creamy base for the salad.
- Add Fresh Vegetables and Herbs: Add the chopped cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely diced red onion, and chopped fresh parsley to the bowl. Toss everything together to distribute the veggies and herbs evenly throughout the mixture. Chop the cucumber and tomatoes just before mixing so they remain crisp and juicy.
- Dress and Season the Salad: Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the salad mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss everything to coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Chill and Serve: Transfer the salad to the refrigerator to chill for 15–20 minutes before serving. Chilling allows flavors to meld and makes the salad more refreshing.
Notes
- Drain and rinse chickpeas thoroughly to avoid a watery salad.
- After chopping cucumber, let it sit with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, then pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow its sharpness.
- Add lemon juice and olive oil just before serving to prevent sogginess.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated up to 3 days; flavors improve overnight.
- Mix fresh vegetables and chickpeas separately from cottage cheese when prepping ahead for best texture.
- Serve chilled, and if too dry after storage, add a splash more lemon juice or olive oil.
- Substitutions: Use ricotta or crumbled feta for cottage cheese; white or black beans, lentils for chickpeas; lime juice or white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice; fresh dill, cilantro, or basil instead of parsley.
Keywords: cottage cheese chickpea salad, high-protein salad, vegetarian lunch, no cook salad, easy salad recipe, meal prep salad, Mediterranean salad, healthy lunch
