Tuna Chickpea Protein Bowl (Printable)

A protein-packed bowl blending tuna, chickpeas, fresh veggies, and lemon dressing for a light, fresh meal.

# What You Need:

→ 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 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

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

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and olives.
02 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well emulsified.
03 - Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
04 - If desired, top salad with crumbled feta cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate covered for up to two days to enhance flavors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely done in fifteen minutes with zero cooking, which means you can make it even when the kitchen feels overwhelming.
  • The protein actually keeps you full, so you're not reaching for snacks an hour later.
  • It tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together, making it perfect for meal prep without any sad, soggy feeling.
02 -
  • Drain your canned ingredients well or the salad becomes diluted and sad, no matter how good the dressing is.
  • Fresh lemon juice transforms this from decent to genuinely crave-worthy, so don't substitute bottled.
  • Taste the salad before serving because the salt in canned goods varies between brands, and you might need less than the recipe suggests.
03 -
  • If your salad tastes flat, it's almost always underseasonedor needing more lemon juice, so add those last rather than rely on the recipe amounts.
  • Keep the dressing ingredients measured and ready in a small jar so you can shake it together in seconds any morning, turning this from fifteen minutes to literally five.
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