This is the best Chickpea Salad I’ve ever had in my life.
Yotam Ottolenghi – I salute you.
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
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!
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
PPS Try serving it up with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread. The Chickpea Salad is terrific for stuffing into pita bread!
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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Salad
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:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Computer, coffee and Dozer eyeing off the Vegemite toast. Just another morning of work.
Loving your food so much!!! Please tel me what in the U.S, is caster sugar, TY
Hi Mary! Sorry, I should have specified – it’s just a fine ground white sugar, but you can use plain sugar! having tech problems today and can’t update the recipe but will try to remember to update it once I can! 🙂
Hi I just found this recipe online and was wondering if it can prepare the chickpeas a day or so in advance?
Yup you sure can! I keep them in the fridge. If you want to dry out the surface, you can just pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes 🙂
This salad looks amazing, making it tonight. Looking at the picture i think i see red onion, but don’t see it listed on the ingredients?
Woah! How has this salad existed for so long with no one picking that up?? Thanks Bronwyn, fixed! (1/2 red onion chopped) 🙂 N x
Was so yummy and fresh! Kids loved it too ?Will definitely become one my go to salads this summer. Thank you!
I literally just made a batch myself this afternoon 🙂 Without the spiced chickpeas, just plain because I’m making Middle Eastern spiced lamb to go with it. SO GOOD! Glad you and the kids enjoyed it Bronwyn, thanks for letting me know!
This looks so fresh and tasty! It would go really well with the White Bean Dip recipe I posted today! Middle Eastern feast Nagi? ☺️?
YES it would be a killer!
Hi there. Can I use red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar? I’m going to make a version of your Arabian feast for when we go up to the cottage this summer. So I will be trying out all the recipes one by one. Tonight will be the chicken shawarma !!! Can’t wait
Hi PB! Yup this will be just as great with red wine vinegar. Hope you enjoy it! N x
Chicken shawarma was a complete hit! Amazing flavourful recipe. Your site rocks
WOO HOO!!! I am SO GLAD you loved it PB, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
This looks absolutely amazing. I adore chickpeas in serving of mixed greens, similar to I add them to each plate of mixed greens I have regardless. This flavor combo sounds incredible! Adding it to my rundown of things to attempt!
I hope you do try this!!
Hi Nagi,
I am big fan of your blog. I must say I haved loved each and every reciepe I tried from your site.
The 1 tespoon caramon in this sald …is this small green cardomon deshelled and then grinded into a powder? Or do you use them with the shell on? I want to make this salad for a luncheon. Please clarify this.
Rubina
Hi Rubina! That is a good question, I will update the recipe. 🙂 I mean ground cardamon. Hope you love this!! 🙂
I’m loving your blog. This looks delicious. I’m hoping to make it with freshly home cooked chickpeas, together with your hummus recipe. Still trying to figure out how much dried chickpea is equivalent to 400 grams can version. What would be a substitute for the “sherry vinegar”? As we don’t consume alcohol. Many thanks.
Hi Sharon! Sherry vinegar isn’t an alcohol, it’s a vinegar that is less acidic than normal white vinegar. 🙂 Apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar or any other soft vinegar will work just fine! I just responded to your previous message – 3/4 cup of dried chickpeas, once cooked = 1 400g/14oz can of chickpeas!
It looks like you didn’t peel the cucumbers? Did you use a certain kinda of cucumber? Can you specify?
Hi Nancy! Nope, I didn’t peel the cucumber. I never do, unless I’m trying to be fancy or for a specific dish. I use standard cucumbers which are called Lebanese Cucumbers here in Australia but the long ones called Continental Cucumbers is fine too 🙂
Wow – this is a lot like a recipe I love by Yotam Ottolenghi in his cookbook, Jerusalem. His approach to food is so delicious and inspiring!
Shaun – you are so right! That’s exactly where I got the inspiration for this recipe from – it’s a pulled back version of it. I thought I mentioned that in the post, possibly not, I should check it. I love that cookbook so much. I am tempted to do a “Julie and Julia” with it and make every single recipe! Thanks so much for dropping by!
What a delicious and simple way to enjoy chickpeas! The speedy prep and minimal time in front of a hot stove makes this a perfect summer salad meal. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for dropping by Keisha! I hope you enjoy it. It truly is incredibly delicious!
I love chickpeas in salad, like I add them to every salad I have no matter what. This flavor combo sounds fantastic! Adding it to my list of things to try!
Thanks for dropping by Annie! I love this salad, and I hope you do to. I honestly can’t get enough of the chickpeas!!