Tzatziki Chickpea Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated January 1, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 3
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(4,693)
Comments
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Vibrant with the sharp creaminess of tzatziki, the Greek yogurt dip, this dish embodies the cool, easy eating of the warmer months. Crisp cucumbers and hearty chickpeas are dressed with a lemony and garlicky Greek yogurt mixture. A hint of honey brings harmony to the dressing; the hum of sweetness softens the tartness of the yogurt and introduces a richness to the dish. This no-cook salad is hearty enough for a standalone meal, but should you wish to dress it up, here are a few serving suggestions: Eat with flatbread, falafel, veggie skewers, or roasted Greek lemon potatoes.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

  • 1 garlic clove, grated

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

  • 2 teaspoons honey

  • 1 lemon, halved (or more, if desired, for seasoning)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 pound Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained

  • Big handful dill, chopped

  • Big handful mint leaves, chopped

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

61 grams carbs; 10 milligrams cholesterol; 460 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 17 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 1027 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 16 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To a large bowl, add the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, honey and the juice of ½ lemon; whisk to combine. If it seems too thick, loosen it up with a splash of water or more lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    To the yogurt, add the cucumbers, chickpeas, dill, mint and scallions, and squeeze the remaining ½ lemon over the mixture. Toss to coat. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    To serve, drizzle with additional olive oil.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,693 user ratings
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Comments

Z Freehling

I didn’t have green onions, so I used a red onion instead and it was delicious! When i use chick peas, i take off their little “jackets” or outside coverings before I put them in the salad. They’re more digestible that way. I put them in a strainer and put the strainer in a bowl of water. Then I agitate the chickpeas around so their skins fall off and float to the surface where I skim them off, drain the peas and use them.

Elena

Nice idea for this salad with the chickeas! But we Greeks never, NEVER add honey to a tzatziki recipe. If you have good quality full-fat strained yogurt, no need whatsoever to sweeten it.

Lori Lippitz

Here is a summary of (many) comments: 1) Use less honey (some people said no honey, but that's a different recipe IMO). 2) 2 garlic cloves instead of 1 3) Whole milk Greek yogurt 4) Salt and drain the cukes if not serving the salad immediately (or add them right before serving). 5) Could add lemon zest as well as juice. Maybe more lemon juice, too. 6) Don't add a splash of water--the main complaint was that the salad dressing gets watery. 7) Some people soak and cook their own chick peas.

Brad

Lemon zest was a great idea. I added a 18 halved grape tomatoes which gave it a nice sweetness. And sprinkled some crumbled feta on each serving. Will definitely make again.

Claire

I found this a bit bland. Added lemon zest and more garlic but still was lacking something.

Monique Gendre

I fail to see the fuss about this one. Once you bite into the chickpeas, the flavour - well, there is no flavour. Unless some of the chickpeas are mashed to allow the flavours of the dill, mint and yogurt to absorb a bit - I found it to be meh. I might try once more mashing part of it up, but likely will try others instead.

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