Tuna Chickpea Protein Bowl (Printable Version)

Protein-rich bowl with tuna, chickpeas, crisp veggies, and a zesty lemon dressing for easy meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Protein & Legumes

01 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 (5 oz each) cans tuna in water, drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced (optional)

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
15 - Pinch of red pepper flakes

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and kalamata olives.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and red pepper flakes over the salad if desired.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 2 days to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be a real meal, not just something you eat because you're bored.
  • No cooking required means summer heat stays in the garden, not your kitchen.
  • It tastes better the next day, so meal prep actually pays off instead of tasting like regret.
02 -
  • Over-dressed salad is the worst fate—start with three-quarters of the dressing and add more if needed, because you can't take it back once you've drowned everything.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss it in just before serving, or at least within a couple of hours, or your vegetables turn sad and soggy.
03 -
  • Toast the chickpeas lightly in a dry pan for five minutes before adding them if you want extra crunch, though it changes the texture completely.
  • Keep your lemon juice fresh and acidic—it's doing the work of keeping everything bright and preventing the salad from tasting one-dimensional.
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