024 / 100 · Bright Bowls and Satisfying Salads

Cucumber, Chickpea, and Dill Salad

4 lunch portions or 6 side portions Active 20 min Total 35 min

Cucumber and chickpeas make a quick salad with a useful balance of crunch and substance. A lemony yogurt dressing clings to the chickpeas while dill gives the whole bowl a fresh aroma. Briefly salting the cucumber draws off some of its water, keeping the dressing from becoming thin at the bottom. There is no cooking involved, but this small pause makes a noticeable difference. Serve the salad cool, with the cucumber still crisp and the dill freshly chopped.

Jump to the ingredients

Cucumber and chickpea salad in a dill-flecked yogurt dressing.

Drain before you dress

Even a seedless cucumber releases water after meeting salt. Ten minutes in a sieve, followed by a gentle blot, keeps that water from thinning the yogurt. Do not squeeze hard enough to crush the pieces. Thoroughly drain the chickpeas too. Half-inch cucumber dice stay recognizable beside the beans, while finely chopped dill disperses through the dressing more evenly than large fronds. Lemon zest gives aroma without extra liquid; the measured juice supplies enough tang. Thick Greek yogurt clings most neatly, though regular plain yogurt makes a pleasant looser version. If packing ahead, keep the salad cold and stir once before eating to bring the dressing back through the ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 large English cucumber (about 350 g), cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 cans (15 ounces/425 g each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

Set out

Fine-mesh sieve, Large mixing bowl, Fine grater

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Put the diced cucumber in a sieve over a bowl. Toss with the salt and let drain for 10 minutes.
  2. Blot the cucumber gently with a clean towel. Discard the collected liquid.
  3. Drain the rinsed chickpeas thoroughly so extra water does not thin the dressing.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Stir in the dill.
  5. Add the cucumber and chickpeas. Fold gently until evenly coated.
  6. Let stand in the refrigerator for 5 minutes, then stir once and serve cool.

A useful detail

The total time includes draining and a brief final chill. For a same-day packed lunch, keep the dressed salad cold rather than leaving it in a warm bag.

Make it your own

  • Use chopped flat-leaf parsley instead of dill for a different fresh note.
  • Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes immediately before serving for extra color; they will release more juice during storage.

Keep it well

Refrigerate promptly at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Stir before serving and pour off excess liquid if needed. Keep below 40°F/4°C when carrying to a picnic; discard after more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C.