Mediterranean Tuna & Chickpea Salad

No cooking, no stove, and it is on the table in about twelve minutes.

Tuna brings the protein, chickpeas add fibre and staying power, and the lemon, parsley, and red onion keep it from tasting like a sad desk lunch.

It is also better on day two, which makes it one of the few salads worth making ahead.

Prep time

12 minutes

Cook time

None

Total time

12 minutes

Servings

2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cans (5 oz / 142 g each) tuna packed in water, drained
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Black pepper to taste, salt only if needed

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under cold water. This removes a meaningful amount of the canning sodium.
2. 2Add the chickpeas and drained tuna to a large bowl and break the tuna apart gently with a fork.
3. 3Add the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
4. 4Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and pepper together, then pour over the salad.
5. 5Toss well and taste before adding any salt. The tuna and chickpeas usually bring enough.
6. 6Serve straight away, or chill for 20 minutes to let the flavours settle.

Approximate Nutrition Per Serving

Values are approximate. Brands, portion sizes, and ingredient substitutions can change the totals.

Simple Substitutions & Variations

• Use canned salmon, cooked shrimp, or shredded chicken instead of tuna.
• For a vegetarian version, double the chickpeas and add white beans.
• Add crumbled feta, olives, or roasted red pepper for a fuller Mediterranean flavour.
• Serve over greens, folded into a whole-grain wrap, or with a slice of whole-grain bread.
• Choose no-salt-added chickpeas and low-sodium tuna where you can find them.