Mediterranean Chickpea Millet Salad

Looking for delicious millet recipes? This healthy, light and flavorful millet salad with canned chick peas, diced cucumber, briny olives and feta cheese is one of our favorites. It’s easy to make using cooked hulled millet and this whole grain salad recipe is naturally gluten free and 100% delicious. You’ll love the tangy lemon honey vinaigrette, too.

cooked millet and ingredients for the salad.

Love whole grains in salad?

Whole grains make the best salad recipes. They’re quick and easy to make when you know how to treat the grains and there are endless options. I’ve made salads using everything from quinoa and farro, to barley to bulgur and brown rice to name a few. This easy millet salad is made with cooked hulled millet, a wholesome, flavorful ancient grain. Plu, millet has a low glycemic index with staying power that keeps you fuller, longer.

This chickpea and millet salad recipe is a family favorite.

It makes a tasty side dish next to a pork chop, or piece of rotisserie chicken, lamb or even seafood and the recipe yields a large salad.

Best of all, like most whole grains, this millet salad won’t wilt the way that leafy greens do. It lasts for days in the refrigerator. Consequently, my husband and I regularly enjoy leftovers at work for an easy brown bag lunch.

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chickpeas and kalamata olives.

Ingredients for Mediterranean millet salad:

  • Kalamata Olives
  • English Cucumber (hothouse)
  • Canned Chick Peas
  • Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • Fresh Mint
  • Italian Parsley

This simple ingredient list belies the wonderful flavor and textures inherent in this whole grain salad recipe.

The millet is hearty with a good chew and the flavorful bites of olive, feta, cucumber and chickpeas make every bite a good reason for another. The radishes add a peppery note and a splash of color that gives the Mediterranean millet salad the look of a Lilly Pulitzer dress. How fashionable.

assembling the whole grain salad and ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

About millet

I have an instructional post on how to cook millet which works perfectly for this salad recipe. Be sure to fluff and steam the grains of millet and then let them cool completely before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.

If you add hot grains to the vegetables, they’ll wilt and adding dressing to hot millet will make it gluey instead of giving you fluffy separate morsels.

adding the fresh mint and parsley to the bowl.

How to make millet salad:

  1. Add the cooked and cooled millet to a large bowl.
  2. Add the cucumbers, green onion, radishes, drained chick peas, kalamata olives and feta.
  3. Drizzle the lemon honey vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.
  4. Just before serving, chop the fresh herbs and add to the salad. (That keeps them vibrant).
Making the honey lemon vinaigrette to dress the dish.

Ingredients for lemon honey vinaigrette

  • Dijon Mustard
  • Lemon Zest
  • Lemon Juice
  • Minced Shallots
  • White Wine Vinegar
  • Honey
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper

This is a standard lemon vinaigrette that you can use to dress everything from leafy green salads to other whole grain salads or even toss with steamed vegetables. It’s a great all purpose lemon dressing.

Making vinaigrette for Mediterranean millet salad:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
pouring vinaigrette over the millet salad recipe.

If you love clean eating, this simple whole grain salad with ancient millet will make you feel good about every bite. It’s light and nutty with a tangy, citrusy flavor and briny pops of olive and creamy feta cheese.

One bite leads to another and each one will make your tastebuds and your belly supremely happy. Be sure to package up any leftovers for lunch the next day. You’ll be glad you did.

FAQ’s

Can I use a different grain in the salad?

Yes. You can substitute lots of other things for the steamed millet. Try it with quinoa, bulgur, barley, farro, orzo pasta, white or brown rice or pearl couscous.

How long will the millet salad last in the refrigerator?

The salad is good for up to 5 days and retains its freshness. For the best flavor, if you know there’s going to be leftovers, don’t add the herbs until the last minute so they maintain their brightness.

Can I freeze millet salad?

No. You shouldn’t freeze the millet salad, however you can freeze cooked and cooled millet. I recommend this so you’ve always got some of the cooked grains ready whenever you need them.

A serving bowl filled with light and dark green, bright pink and creamy yellow colors from the whole grain salad.

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5 from 6 votes

Mediterranean Chickpea Millet Salad

This flavorful whole grain salad uses fluffy cooked millet, canned chick peas, feta cheese and kalamata olives in a bright lemon shallot vinaigrette. Makes a delicious side dish or vegetarian main course.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword millet, whole grains
Dietary Restrictions Egg Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE LEMON SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE:

  • 1 small shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

FOR THE MILLET SALAD:

  • 3 cups cooked millet cooked and cooled to room temperature
  • 2 green onions white and green parts, sliced thin
  • ½ cup radishes cut into julienne (or thin slices)
  • ½ cup kalamata olives roughly chopped
  • ½ English (hothouse) cucumber diced
  • 15 ounce can chick peas drained
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • cup chopped fresh mint
  • cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE:

  • In a small bowl combine the shallot, dijon mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice, vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine and set aside.

FOR THE SALAD:

  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled millet, green onions, radishes, kalamata olives, cucumber, chick peas, feta and toss to combine.
  • Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss, so that the salad is evenly coated with dressing.
  • Just before serving, add the fresh chopped herbs (herbs degrade quickly and are best tasting when fresh). Enjoy.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 521mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 5mg

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was excellent! Made as directed with 2 exceptions…finely diced red onion and red wine vinegar as I didn’t have any shallots or white wine vinegar. I agree make sure your millet is fluffy and cooled. I cooked the millet in my rice cooker white rice setting…1 cup rinsed millet-1 & 1/2 cups cold water. Fluff out/sepsrate the little kernels with a fork onto a large plate/tray to cool. Everyone loved it! Fantastic recipe, will bring to picnics and summer potlucks it’s that good. Will be in my regular rotation, definitely a keeper!

  2. 5 stars
    Looks great!! Would you consider providing a texting or emailing option to your recipes?

  3. 5 stars
    This is the perfect summer salad dish! So light and refreshing!