Spanish Chickpea and Tuna Salad Recipe
This salad, popular in Spanish homes as a quick lunch, combines chickpeas with tuna, vegetables, and a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing. It’s often packed in a lunchbox for work or taken to the beach, as it travels well and doesn’t need reheating. The flavor is similar to an Italian bean and tuna salad, but with more vegetables and Spanish olive oil in the spotlight.
A classic Spanish-style pantry salad that comes together in minutes, is packed with protein and fiber, and tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality olive oil, as it really defines the flavor of this salad. Don’t skip rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly—it removes the canning liquid and makes the taste cleaner and lighter.
How to serve
Serve slightly chilled or at cool room temperature, with crusty bread to soak up the dressing. It also works well as part of a tapas-style spread alongside olives, cheese, and cured meats.
Ingredients
- canned chickpeas drained and rinsed net weight - 400 g
- tuna in olive oil weight after draining - 160 g
- red bell pepper diced finely - 0.5 piece
- fresh cucumber diced - 0.5 piece
- red onion finely chopped - 0.5 piece
- cherry tomatoes halved - 8 piece
- green olives pitted, sliced - 40 g
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- wine vinegar white or red wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Rinse the chickpeas in a sieve under running water and drain well.
- Drain the tuna from excess oil and gently flake it with a fork.
- In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, tuna, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and pepper until you get a smooth dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss, taking care not to crush the tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge to let the flavors meld, then serve.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those reliable, quick salads that’s perfect for busy days or hot weather when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s easy to adapt to what you have on hand and travels very well in a lunchbox.
