Jamie Oliver Chickpea Salad

The first time I made this salad—Jamie Oliver Chickpea Salad—I was sunburnt and hungry. Not the glamorous kind of hungry. The kind that comes from a long day, where your brain’s foggy and your stomach is yelling at you. And then—bam—this thing came together. Chopped onion, warm chickpeas, lemon… it smelled like a summer kitchen in the Mediterranean somewhere, maybe Crete. I have no idea. But it felt right. Inspired by Jamie Oliver, naturally.

Ingredients Needed

• 1 small red onion
• 1 or 2 red chillies, depending on your spice threshold
• 2 big handfuls of ripe tomatoes—red, yellow, orange, whatever sings
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt, just enough to make it pop
• Black pepper, fresh if possible
• About 410 g of chickpeas, tinned is fine, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped roughly
• 1 tablespoon torn-up basil—green or purple, don’t stress
• 100 g feta, crumbled like it fell apart on its own

How To Make Jamie Oliver Chickpea Salad

• Prep the Veg: You start by cutting the onion. Thin—like, painfully thin slices. Your eyes might water. That’s part of it. Then slice up those chillies. Don’t touch your eyes. Tomatoes? Hack them into large, satisfying chunks. You want juice, you want mess.
• Mix the Base: Chuck all those beautiful bits into a large bowl. It’ll look chaotic. That’s perfect. It should smell sharp and green and spicy all at once.
• Dress It Up: Grab that lemon. Squeeze the life out of it—juice over the veggies. Add olive oil like you mean it. Stir. Salt and pepper. Then taste. Always taste. It should zing, maybe even punch you a little.
• Warm the Chickpeas: Pop the chickpeas into a pan. Just warm them through—don’t fry or brown. Save a handful, mash them up with a fork, then stir them into the mix. Creaminess, but not too much. You’re after contrast.
• Finish Strong: Let it sit there for a bit. Like 10 minutes. Let everything get friendly. Then throw in the herbs—basil, mint. Don’t chop too finely. You want to see them. Smell them. Taste again. Fix it. More lemon? More salt? You’ll know. Crumble the feta with your fingers and scatter it over like snow. Done.

Why I Love This Recipe

I made this once for people I barely knew. They talked with their mouths full. Nobody checked their phones. That’s all I needed. It’s messy, noisy, wildly flavorful. The kind of thing you want to eat barefoot, on a patio, with a warm breeze that smells like herbs and olive oil. I didn’t think I liked chickpeas. Turns out I just hadn’t met the right ones.

Recipe Tips

• Let it sit for a bit. Trust me. Everything softens and blends.
• Parsley works if you don’t have basil. Or both.
• Use whatever tomatoes are soft and sweet—ugly ones taste best.
• Not into heat, Sweet red peppers give color without the burn.
• Leftover chickpeas? Roast ’em with paprika. Instant snack.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver Chickpea Salad

• At Room Temperature: Let it breathe. Give it 20 minutes before eating. After that? Fridge.
• In the Fridge: Keeps for about 4 days. The flavor deepens, which is kind of magical.
• In the Freezer: Nah. Don’t. The tomatoes and feta won’t forgive you.
• Reheating: Don’t bother. Just let it come to room temp again. Or eat it cold. Still good.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions! (FAQs)

Why is it so watery?
Probably too much tomato juice. Or maybe those chickpeas weren’t drained well. Either way, just spoon some liquid off. No big deal.

Can I make it the night before?
Absolutely. Just don’t add the herbs and cheese until just before you eat.

I hate chillies. Now what?
No sweat. Use a sweet red pepper or skip it entirely. You do you.

Are canned chickpeas OK?
Totally. Just rinse them like they’ve been sitting in brine—which they have.

No basil or mint on hand?
Use parsley. Or coriander. Even dill in a pinch. Herbs are flexible.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 272
• Carbs: 19.6g
• Protein: 11.5g
• Fat: 16.5g
• Sugar: 3.5g
• Fibre: 5.6g

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Mango Salsa
• Jamie Oliver Braised Red Cabbage Recipe
• Jamie Oliver Quinoa Salad