It’s the perfect time of year for fresh salads and side dishes. I’m half Lebanese, so I’m genetically programed to love chickpeas. I like using them as the base for satisfying recipes.
Here, these protein-rich beans are tossed with a creamy yogurt-cucumber dressing. The dressing is spiked with a little garlic and fresh lime juice. The recipe comes together quickly. Everything is combined in one bowl and a red chili pepper finishes things off with colorful flavor and heat. Stuff this refreshing salad into soft pita with crisp lettuce and tomato. It’s great over a fluffy baked potato for a light vegetarian dinner too.
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Tzatziki Chickpea Salad with Chilies
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
Protein-rich beans tossed with creamy cucumber dressing spiked with garlic, lime, and chili pepper. It comes together quickly and is great inside a pita.
Ingredients
- 2, 16-oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 red chili pepper, diced or sliced thinly. I use a red fresno.
- 2 small cucumbers, shredded. Persian or Diva are recommended.
- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, diced
- A handful of parsley or dill, chopped
- 2 limes
- 1 cup (240 ml) of full fat or 2 percent Greek yogurt. I use full fat.
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- On the large holes of a box grater, grate the cucumber into a large bowl. On the smallest holes of a box grater, grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the yogurt and salt to taste. Stir in a few good squeezes of lime juice. Mix in the chickpeas, scallions and parsley. Taste. Adjust the salt and lime juice. Let sit for 5 minutes so that the cucumbers will release some of their juice and make a light dressing. Serve immediately with some finely sliced chili pepper on top. It’s great with warm pita bread too.
Notes
- Small cucumbers with soft skin and minimal seeds are best here.
- If all you can find is the usual kind, then seed and peel the skin.
- I use 3 small garlic cloves in this recipe.
- If you love garlic, then add more.
- Lemons can be swapped for limes if that’s what you prefer.
- Remove the seeds and veins of the pepper to control the heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of cucumber works best here, and does it need to be peeled?
Persian or Diva cucumbers are ideal — they have soft skin and minimal seeds, so you can grate them straight on the large holes of a box grater without peeling. If you can only find the regular thick-skinned kind, seed it and peel the skin first. 
How do I control the heat from the red chili pepper?
I use a red Fresno, which has a bright, medium heat. To dial it back, remove the seeds and veins before slicing. Add it thinly sliced on top at serving so people can take as much or as little as they want.
Why let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving?
The grated cucumber releases its juice during that rest, which thins the yogurt slightly and creates a light, natural dressing. Without it the salad is thicker — still good, but that 5-minute rest is what makes the texture click.
Can I use lemon instead of lime?
Yes, lemons swap in directly for limes. The brightness is a little different but it still works well with the garlic and yogurt. I usually prefer lime for the slight tropical edge it adds to the chickpeas.
