A nutritious Mediterranean chopped salad packed with fiber and flavor. Loaded with veggies, legumes and grains, it’s the perfect dish for feeding a crowd or weekly meal prep.
Chopped salads are a great way to load up on tons of veggies and fiber filled carbs, and are great for scooping with your favorite pita chip. You can also toss in a simple protein like chicken shawarma for a nutrient dense and super satisfying main dish salad.
Our version brings in a nutty bite from the ancient grain farro, and salty, briny flavor of kalamata olives. Topped with creamy feta and a simple homemade vinaigrette, you’ll be making this easy salad anytime you want something light but hearty.
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why you’ll love this easy chopped mediterranean salad
- Healthy & nourishing! Full of fresh, nutritious ingredients and packed with fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.
- Easy to prep and minimal cooking required. Grab my favorite veggie chopper and Trader Joe’s 10 minute farro, and you’ll be prepped and ready to toss in no time!
Ingredients
Grab a few easy ingredients and let’s whip up this Mediterranean chopped salad in just a few minutes!
- 1 hothouse cucumber (also called English cucumbers). Of course feel free to use 3-4 Persian cucumbers instead if you have access to them. Dice into ½″=¾″ pieces.
- 2-3 firm tomatoes, any variety you wish. For best results, slice open and scoop out seeds to prevent the salad from becoming too watery. Dice into ½″=¾″ pieces.
- ½ small red onion, or ¼ large red onion. Dice into ½″=¾″ pieces.
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well.
- 1 cup cooked farro. Feel free to use another grain in its place, such as pearl couscous or even quinoa, they just won’t have the same nutty, chewy texture.
- ½ cup sliced kalamata olives.
- 3-4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, low-fat preferred.
- ½ cup chopped leafy fresh herbs. We used a combo of parsley and fresh oregano.
To make the easy dressing
For best results, mix up the dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve the salad. Start by adding half to the full salad and toss. Taste and add more dressing if desired. If you wish to meal prep the salad for the week, DO NOT DRESS the salad until ready to eat; then toss individual servings with 1-2 tablespoons.
- ½ cup good olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or white balsamic
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
how to make a chopped salad
cook farro
If you need to first prep the farro, cook according to package directions. Using the Trader Joe’s 10 minute farro calls for letting the grain boil in water just like pasta. When done cooking, drain and let cool.
Prep veggies
Dice all veggies into ½″-¾″ bite sized pieces. Add veggies to a large serving bowl, along with the cooked farro and chickpeas.
Add remaining ingredients
Finely chop the fresh herbs then add to the bowl along with the sliced olives and feta cheese.
Make dressing and toss
In a container with a lid, add the ingredients for the homemade lemon vinaigrette. Cover and shake vigorously till well combined. Toss salad ingredients together, then dress the salad if serving right away, or refrigerate till ready to serve.
Recipe tips and FAQ’s
A chopped salad is just a salad made up of chopped up, bite-sized ingredients that you can easily with a fork, no need to first cut up. Usually a combo of colorful and vibrant veggies, lettuces, along with cheese and meats, they are a bit more casual and perfect for entertaining a big crowd.
As with any salad, they can go overboard with tons of oily dressings or crunchy, fried and fatty garnishes. But this particular Mediterranean chopped salad is decidedly healthy! With 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein and only 2 grams of saturated fat and tons of bright colorful veggies and nourishing legumes, it’s a salad you can high five your health with!
Farro is an ancient grain (tracked back as far as 20,000 years ago), and is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. It’s got a unique nutty taste and chewy texture and a nutrient profile similar to that of quinoa, making it an affordable, versatile and nutritious grain side dish.
Farro has a good dose of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc.
If you want to make a big batch of this salad to have throughout the week, then definitely DO NOT dress the salad ahead of time. Instead, keep the chopped salad in an airtight container in the fridge, or portion off into single-serve containers right away. Then add the dressing as you eat the salad.
It maintains its crunchiness for several days, as long as it’s not dressed, making it a perfect option for quick, healthy lunches or dinners on the go!
need more delicious salads?
- Pearl Couscous Salad with Roasted Veggies is another interesting carb that tastes delicious tossed with veggies and simple seasonings.
- Stone Fruit Salad with Veggies is loaded with amazing flavor and essential vitamins and nutrients. Great for Summer!
- Lemon Orzo Salad is fast and easy to make, and tastes great with a wide variety of protein main dishes.
- High Protein Italian Submarine Salad is a meal on its own, with savory deli meats, cheeses peppers and olives!
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Did you make this recipe?
If you gave this recipe a try, I’d love your feedback! Any tips or recipe additions you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it! Let’s connect down in the comments below.
Chopped Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 English/Hothouse cucumber diced into small bit sized pieces
- 3 Tomatoes firm, seeded and diced into small bite sized pieces
- ½ small Red onion diced into small bite sized pieces
- 1 can Chickpeas 14.5 oz can; drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Farro cooked
- ½ cup Kalamata olives sliced in half
- 3 ounces Feta cheese low-fat or nonfat, crumbled
- ½ cup Fresh herbs like parsley and oregano finely chopped
For the lemon vinaigrette
- ½ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup White wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the farro according to package directions. Set aside to cool.1 cup Farro
- Dice all veggies into ½″-¾″ bite sized pieces, making sure to seed the tomatoes first. Add veggies to a large serving bowl along with the chickpeas and farro.1 English/Hothouse cucumber, 3 Tomatoes, ½ small Red onion, 1 can Chickpeas
- Finely chop and add the fresh herbs, then slice the olives and add to the bowl along with the feta cheese.½ cup Kalamata olives, 3 ounces Feta cheese, ½ cup Fresh herbs like parsley and oregano
Make the dressing
- In a lidded container, add the ingredients for the homemade lemon vinaigrette. Cover and shake vigorously till well combined. Toss salad ingredients together, then dress the salad if serving right away, or refrigerate till ready to serve and add salad dressing right before serving.½ cup Olive oil, ¼ cup White wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes, Pinch of salt and pepper
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