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Home Side Salads

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

By:Nagi
Published:28 Feb '18Updated:9 Apr '19
176 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

This is the best Chickpea Salad I’ve ever had in my life.

Yotam Ottolenghi – I salute you.

This may very well be the best chickpea salad you ever have in your life. Thank you Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

Chickpea Salad

I first published this about a month after I started this website back in 2014. The fact that I, a self confessed Carb/Carnivore/Cheese Monster, published a vegan salad so early on (patience having never been my greatest virtue) and have taken it upon myself to reshoot the recipe, rewrite the post and make a recipe video for a chickpea salad should speak volumes.

It’s that good.

Make this for someone who is not a fan of chickpeas and I bet even they love it. First hand feedback from a Chickpea Hater. Well, Hater is a harsh word. Let’s say this person is meh when it comes to chickpeas. But her reaction to this Chickpea Salad was nothing short of enthusiastic!

The thing that makes this chickpea salad so amazing is the simple Spiced Chickpeas

How to make Chickpea Salad

I am near obsessed with this salad. I make it a LOT because I find it’s truly one of those salads I find satisfying to have as a meal. And unlike most meat-free salads, I don’t have to fight the urge to raid the pantry an hour later (thank you Mr Chickpeas, for keeping me nice and full!).

Those chickpeas. Honestly. You think chickpeas are blah? Toss them in a simple spice mix and pan fry for a couple of minutes.

OMG. What a transformation!!

Dressing for chickpea salad

The dressing is simple but a cut above your usual vinaigrette. Classic Yotam Ottolenghi – bright and zesty with lemon flavours but not too sharp because it’s combined with sherry vinegar and a touch of sugar.

It’s one of my favourite vinaigrettes!

This may very well be the best chickpea salad you ever have in your life. Thank you Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

I take no credit for these chickpeas. Or this entire Chickpea Salad, actually. It’s adapted from a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook which I am so obsessed with, I am seriously contemplating doing a “Julie & Julia” on it.

Yotam Ottolenghi changed the way I cook. Making vegetables interesting, and salads sexy. Sorry if that word offends anyone in the context of food, but I swear I can’t think of a more suitable word in my limited vocabulary!

This is one such salad. 🙂 – Nagi x


Make a meal of it – try this with a side of:

  • Easy Soft Flatbread Recipe (No Yeast) with Hummus (try this traditional Hummus with Lamb!)

  • Crispy Couscous Pancake with Tomato & Onion (another Yotam Ottolenghi recipe)

  • Add a main – Chicken Shawarma or Lamb Shawarma, Lamb Koftas or Moroccan Meatballs

  • Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Nuts

This may very well be the best chickpea salad you ever have in your life. Thank you Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

PPS Try serving it up with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread. The Chickpea Salad is terrific for stuffing into pita bread!

This may very well be the best chickpea salad you ever have in your life. Thank you Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKPEA SALAD

I usually serve this Chickpea Salad on its own as meal with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread. Try it with my easy homemade flatbread!

As a side, this Chickpea Salad will pair beautifully with a simple protein (because the chickpeas have lots of flavour, you wouldn’t want the main with big punchy flavours) like Crispy Pan Fried Fish or this Lemon Pepper Chicken.

If you want to create a Middle Eastern Menu, try your hand at an Arabian Feast! Or have a browse of all my Middle Eastern recipes – it’s one of my favourite cuisines, I love the punchy flavours. I make this salad without the chickpeas as a side for full flavoured mains, such as Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma and Koftas.

MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPE COLLECTION


WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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This may very well be the best chickpea salad you ever have in your life. Thank you Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Salad

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 3 mins
Total: 10 mins
Lunch, Salad, Vegan
Middle Eastern
4.95 from 38 votes
Servings4 as side
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. The best Chickpea Salad I've ever had! Inspired by a recipe from "Jerusalem" by Yotam Ottolenghi, spiced chickpeas give this a wow factor and the Dressing is a beautiful lemon vinaigrette that is not as sharp as most lemon dressings. 

Ingredients

Chickpeas

  • 400g / 14 oz can chickpeas, drained but still wet (Note 1)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Chickpea Spices

  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp All Spice
  • 1 tsp ground cardamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Salad

  • 2 cucumbers , diced
  • 2 tomatoes (or 3 medium tomatoes), diced
  • 1 red onion (small) , diced
  • 1/4 cup coriander leaves , roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup parsley , roughly chopped

Dressing

  • 1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar (Note 2)
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed (Note 3)
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Combine the Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
  • Place chickpeas in a large bowl. Scatter over Spices, then toss to coat. The wetness of the chickpeas will make the spices stick.
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over high heat and fry the chickpeas for a couple of minutes. Shake the pan so the chickpeas roll, or stir gently (so the spice coating doesn't come off). Transfer into bowl and cool slightly.
  • Combine the Salad Ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of Dressing and toss. Transfer to serving bowl.
  • Top salad with chickpeas (warm or at room temperature). Drizzle with more Dressing. Toss very gently, if desired (don't toss too much otherwise spice comes off chickpeas). Serve immediately.
  • Great served with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread to stuff the salad into.

Recipe Notes:

1. Feel free to use dried chickpeas you have cooked yourself if you prefer. You'll need 1 3/4 cup. Wet the chickpeas and drain per recipe (so the spices stick).
2. Sherry vinegar is fantastic for dressings because it's not as sharp as other vinegars. I can't remember if it's sold in Australian supermarkets, I think I get mine from Harris Farms. If you can't find it, sub with white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
3. To smash the garlic clove, peel it then use the side of your knife and hit it with the palm of your hand so the garlic clove bursts open but mostly stays in one piece. Doing this infuses the dressing with subtle garlic flavour and makes it easy to pick the garlic out later. Alternatively, just mince the garlic.
4. This salad is lovely served with a dollop of yoghurt, or stuff it into pita bread.
5. You probably may not need all the dressing, so keep the leftover in a jar to use for another salad. It's a terrific all purpose vinaigrette.
6. Nutrition assumes this serves 4 as a side. Note that the dressing quantities is quite generous. Typically I only use about half. 60 calories of the 295 calories per serving is attributable to the olive oil in the dressing,  so if you don't use it all, you will reduce the calories.
* Recipe first published May 2014. Updated 28 February 2018 with fresh photos, new words in post and recipe video. No change to recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 343gCalories: 295cal (15%)Carbohydrates: 23.4g (8%)Protein: 6.3g (13%)Fat: 20.8g (32%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Sodium: 263mg (11%)Potassium: 389mg (11%)Fiber: 6.2g (26%)Sugar: 6.1g (7%)Vitamin A: 700IU (14%)Vitamin C: 22.3mg (27%)Calcium: 60mg (6%)Iron: 2.9mg (16%)
Keywords: chickpea salad
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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176 Comments

  1. Maria says

    December 29, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    Hi Nagi! I don’t have sherry vinegar…. I have normal white vinegar, red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar. Can I use one of these for the dressing? Which one would you recommend, or is it absolutely necessary for me to buy that sherry vinegar to get the proper taste on the dressing? Thanks for your guidance!

    Reply
  2. Michelle says

    December 19, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    Hi !
    I love this recipe. Seriously yummo ! I’m interested to know if it would be OK to cook and store the chickpeas a day or two before you need them?
    Cheers, Michelle

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 19, 2020 at 4:38 pm

      Yes 100% Michelle! N x

      Reply
  3. Audlynd says

    November 12, 2020 at 2:37 pm

    Good recipe with great flavour. Easy to make. LOVE the lemon dressing! Made it as is except didn’t have coriander leaves,

    Reply
  4. Lesley says

    September 14, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    Made many of your recipes Nagi and you never fail to impress me. You are a legend. Many thanks

    Reply
  5. Chris says

    July 19, 2020 at 6:20 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,

    I have been using this recipe (as well as your chicken shawarma) for years!

    I add some cayenne to the chickpeas to spice it up[ and I triple the parsley and omit the cilantro.

    I’ve been to this site so many times to double check the recipe I figured it was time to leave a comment to tell you how much I appreciate you!

    Reply
  6. Nina says

    July 15, 2020 at 4:12 am

    You forgot to list the other author of the book,Sami Tamimi. This cookbook is meant to represent a bridge between the Palestinian and Israeli communities, a statement that many issue can be fixed at a table talking things out over a meal hence one author is of Israeli descent and the other Palestinian. I think that’s an important message and this cookbook and every recipe within it.

    Reply
  7. Anita K. says

    July 7, 2020 at 12:14 am

    5 stars
    Made this last night, and it was a hit! Added feta cheese & kalamata olives. So easy and super yummy, thank you for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 7, 2020 at 9:08 am

      You’re so welcome Anita! N x

      Reply
  8. Peter M says

    June 17, 2020 at 11:04 pm

    Great recipe and super easy. I was buying pre-made chickpea salads, this is much better. I add dried cranberries, and next time will try golden raisins.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 18, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Wahoo! You’re converted now! N x

      Reply
  9. T says

    June 6, 2020 at 1:28 am

    Does this salad keep well?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 6, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      Yes 100% T!

      Reply
  10. Rebecca Payton says

    June 5, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    I made this recipe last night with lamb koftas and it was absolutely delicious. I love your blog! Your recipes work every time. Thank you.

    Reply
  11. Lisa says

    April 18, 2020 at 7:05 am

    5 stars
    My whole family loves this salad. The flavors are amazing. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 18, 2020 at 5:38 pm

      I’m so glad was a hit Lisa! That’s great! N x

      Reply
  12. nizam ali says

    January 5, 2020 at 2:00 am

    can I use apple cider vinegar?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 6, 2020 at 4:41 pm

      Hi Nizam, you can although it is more sharp in flavour – you may need to balance with a little more sugar 🙂

      Reply
  13. Jennifer Hagan says

    December 16, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    Your recipes speak to me. I first found you from your All Purpose Brown Sauce recipe. My children love your Shawarma chicken recipe. My daughter just tried this recipe and you’ve done it again. I usually hate all spice. There is something in it I hate. So I was a bit reluctant to try this recipe. Oh wasn’t I so wrong. This recipe is the best. It tastes clean and fresh. Everyone in my house loves it from the first bite. Thank you for posting all of these delicious recipes.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 16, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      That’s so nice to hear Jennifer – thanks so much!!

      Reply
  14. Dariel Hodgins says

    November 26, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    Hi Nagi, I can’t get allspice mix in my small town – what do you suggest please?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 26, 2019 at 2:02 pm

      Hi Daniel – you can make your own! equal quantities of cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg! – N x

      Reply
      • Jillian says

        July 11, 2020 at 12:50 pm

        Hi Nagi, do you mean Allspice or Mixed Spice? They are very different. Allspice is ground pimento berries whilst mixed spice are the spices you have just suggested as an alternative. I have both but need to know which to use. Thanks, love your recipes.

        Reply
        • Nagi says

          July 11, 2020 at 8:45 pm

          Hi Jillian! Recipe calls for All Spice. The mix I suggested yields a similar flavour I find! 🙂 N x

          Reply
  15. Vera G says

    November 26, 2019 at 7:42 am

    Love it, Thank you. That would be my summer menu. Also love Yoti O. recipes. Some good stuff. Does Dozer likes vegimate? I would used more so in cooking than just having on toast, am having ver, very little salt in my diet and no sugar all this for over 30 y. Try put vegimate in mince meat, yum, any stew, goulash etc. We are having only today Artic blast, gloomy outside. Ok, be good and hugs to Dozer.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 26, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      Dozer loves Vegemite!! Well – he loves most foods anyway 😂

      Reply
  16. Shal says

    November 7, 2019 at 2:14 am

    Hey Nagi! How long will the dressing last if refrigerated? Thanks again for the awesome recipe!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 7, 2019 at 6:25 am

      Hi Shal, because it has raw garlic, I tend to use it within 3-4 days – N x

      Reply
  17. Corrine says

    November 4, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    5 stars
    Epic salad! Had this tonight with slow cooked lamb shoulder, pitas, hummus & yoghurt. Yum! Didn’t have sherry vinegar so used ACV with a dash of Pedro Ximenez (LOL, I have NO idea what sherry vinegar is/tastes like so i went with vinegar + sherry! Was i way off?? I don’t care, it was amazing.). It was so delicious. Making it tomorrow for a BBQ!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 4, 2019 at 5:57 pm

      Sounds like you nailed it Corinne, what a spread!!

      Reply
  18. Shenaaz says

    October 21, 2019 at 11:39 am

    Hi Nagi

    Can you recommend a non-alcoholic substitute for sherry vinegar please 🙂

    Reply
  19. Kathy says

    October 10, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    5 stars
    Beautiful recipe, will definitely make this again… so delicious x

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 11, 2019 at 8:34 am

      Wahoo, that’s great Kathy!

      Reply
  20. Gale says

    September 25, 2019 at 9:32 am

    We had a recipetin banquet tonight. I made this chickpea salad, the chicken shawarma, your soft flatbread and Middle Eastern Rice (Mejadra). I don’t know which one we loved the most. For sure we have lots of leftovers and we will be enjoying these dishes for days to come. I especially liked the flatbread. It turned out perfectly and after it had rested for 30 minutes I couldn’t stop playing with it. It just felt so soft and good. I am a baker from way back and I can tell by the touch and feel of the dough if it’s going to be a good bread or a not so good bread and this one was definitely a good bread. And, no yeast needed. It was amazing. Thanks again for all your wonderful recipes.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 25, 2019 at 7:19 pm

      Woah sounds divine Gale!!!

      Reply
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