Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Fresh and crisp Mediterranean Chopped Salad made with fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, chickpeas, olives and feta cheese all tossed with a delicious red wine vinaigrette! Perfect for meal prep, lunches, or an easy side dish for any meal.

If you’re looking for a fresh, colorful salad that’s packed with flavor and comes together in minutes, this Mediterranean Chopped Salad is about to become a staple in your kitchen. Crisp romaine lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, protein-packed chickpeas, briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese, and a simple homemade vinaigrette create the perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Whether serving as a light lunch, a healthy side dish, or pairing it with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp for a complete meal, this Mediterranean salad is fresh, satisfying, and loaded with wholesome ingredients. The best part? Everything can be prepped ahead of time, making it perfect for meal prep, potlucks, picnics, and busy weeknights.

Why You’ll Love This

• Fresh and flavorful – every bite is loaded with crisp vegetables, salty feta, briny olives, and a bright homemade vinaigrette that ties everything together beautifully.
• Quick and easy – this salad easily comes together in about 15 minutes with simple ingredients and minimal prep work.
• Customizable – add your favorite protein, swap vegetables, or adjust the dressing as needed to fit your preferences.
• Great for entertaining – the vibrant colors and fresh flavors in this salad make it a beautiful addition to summer gatherings, cookouts, holiday meals, and potlucks.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• lettuce – I finely chopped some romaine lettuce, but any leafy green lettuce such as arugula, kale or spinach will work.
• tomatoes – I like to use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in this salad because they aren’t as watery as larger tomatoes tend to be when you slice them.
• cucumbers – mini cucumbers tend to be less watery and more crunchy than larger cucumbers so I like them best in this salad. English cucumbers work great too, but I would suggest scooping the seeds and flesh out to keep this salad nice and crisp.
• red onion – adds a nice savory flavor to this salad as well as a good crunch!
• chickpeas – I used canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) which are a great source of protein in this salad. Just make sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas.
• olives – I chopped some pitted Kalamata olives giving this salad some saltiness and rich, briny flavor.
• fresh parsley – this is a must in this salad and adds a nice fresh flavor as well as a pop of color. You could also add in some other fresh herbs such as fresh basil, mint or oregano.
• dressing – simple and delicious mixture of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic and dried oregano (or Italian seasoning works too).
• feta cheese – creamy, tangy feta compliments the vegetables and dressing perfectly.

How to Make a Mediterranean Chopped Salad

1. Prepare the vegetables. Wash and dry the romaine lettuce thoroughly. Chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl. Slice the grape tomatoes in half, chop the cucumbers, dice the red onion, chop the olives, and finely chop the parsley.
2. Assemble the salad. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, olives, red onion, parsley, and feta cheese to the bowl with the romaine.
3. Make the dressing. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk until fully combined or shake vigorously until emulsified.
4. Toss and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Variations and Substitutions

• Add protein – turn this salad into a complete meal by adding in some grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, salmon, tuna, steak or even grilled tofu.
• Add more veggies – try mixing in extra vegetables such as bell peppers, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini peppers, avocado, radishes or celery.
• Make it dairy-free – simply omit the feta cheese or use your favorite dairy-free feta alternative.
• Swap the greens – instead of romaine lettuce, try using mixed greens, arugula, spinach or butter lettuce.
• Add grains – for a heartier salad, try mixing in fluffy quinoa, farro, couscous, orzo or brown rice.
• Make it vegan – replace the honey with maple syrup and omit the feta cheese or us a vegan alternative.

What to Serve with Mediterranean Salad

The great thing about this Mediterranean chopped salad recipe is it can be served as a whole meal or enjoyed as a delicious side dish! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve up this salad:

• All on its own as a big delicious salad!
• Mix in a protein such as chicken, shrimp or steak. You could even whip up some extra dressing and marinate the chicken in it.
• Serve alongside these chicken kabobs.
• Make it creamy with some chopped avocado.
• Throw this salad in a wrap or gyro and drizzle with some tzatziki sauce.
• Perfect side dish to pizza, soups, warm pita bread or sandwiches.

Prepping and Storage

• To Prep: Chop all the veggies and store in a separate container from the romaine lettuce to prevent the lettuce from wilting. You can also make the salad dressing ahead of time and store it in a separate container until ready to use.
• To Store: This salad can be stored in a sealed, airtight container for about 2 days in the fridge before the lettuce starts to get soggy. 
• Make-Ahead Tip: For the freshest results, layer all ingredients except the lettuce and dressing in separate containers and assemble just before serving.

More Salad Recipes

• Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad
• Raspberry Walnut Salad with Chicken
• Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
• Chinese Chicken Salad

More Mediterranean Recipes

• Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs
• Mediterranean Mason Jar Salads
• Greek Chicken Kabobs
• Healthy Greek Salad
• Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
• Easy Greek Salad Dressing

Hope you all enjoy this Mediterranean Chopped Salad and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!