Creamy Tuna Chickpea Cucumber Salad (Printable)
Flaky tuna, chickpeas, and crisp cucumber in a creamy yogurt dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 - 1 (5 oz) can tuna in water, drained
02 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
→ Creamy Dressing
07 - 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
08 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, rinsed chickpeas, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, fresh parsley, and halved cherry tomatoes if using.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until smooth and well blended. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking required which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay happy on even the most unmotivated days.
- The creamy yogurt dressing is tangy enough to make everything interesting without being heavy or cloying.
- It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for an hour so you can make it ahead without any stress.
02 -
- Wet chickpeas will thin your dressing into a sad puddle so pat them dry with a clean towel after rinsing.
- This salad is best eaten the day it is made because the cucumber releases water overnight and the texture shifts from crisp to tired.
03 -
- Let the drained tuna sit in a fine mesh strainer for a few minutes and press gently with the back of a spoon because even a small amount of residual liquid waters down the whole bowl.
- A tiny pinch of smoked paprika sprinkled over the top right before serving adds a warm savory note that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.