Description
A flavorful and quick chickpea salad featuring Moroccan spices and a zesty, spicy tahini dressing. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for heat preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water (or more, to thin)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the rinsed chickpeas, red onion, cucumber, and cilantro.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Add this spice mixture to the chickpea mixture and toss gently to coat.
- Prepare the dressing: In another small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add more water, one teaspoon at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.
- Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture. Toss everything together until the salad is evenly coated.
- Taste the salad and adjust salt or cayenne pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately, or chill for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. This salad works well as a side dish or a filling for lettuce wraps.
Notes
- For a sandwich filling, reduce the dressing slightly to make the salad thicker.
- If you prefer more heat, add 1/2 teaspoon of harissa paste to the dressing instead of increasing the cayenne pepper.
- To balance the heat, add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey to the dressing for a touch of sweetness.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 12
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 0