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
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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.
Good recipe with great flavour. Easy to make. LOVE the lemon dressing! Made it as is except didn’t have coriander leaves,
Made many of your recipes Nagi and you never fail to impress me. You are a legend. Many thanks
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!
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.
Made this last night, and it was a hit! Added feta cheese & kalamata olives. So easy and super yummy, thank you for this recipe.
You’re so welcome Anita! N x
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.
Wahoo! You’re converted now! N x
Does this salad keep well?
Yes 100% T!
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.
My whole family loves this salad. The flavors are amazing. Thank you!
I’m so glad was a hit Lisa! That’s great! N x
can I use apple cider vinegar?
Hi Nizam, you can although it is more sharp in flavour – you may need to balance with a little more sugar 🙂
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.
That’s so nice to hear Jennifer – thanks so much!!
Hi Nagi, I can’t get allspice mix in my small town – what do you suggest please?
Hi Daniel – you can make your own! equal quantities of cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg! – N x
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.
Hi Jillian! Recipe calls for All Spice. The mix I suggested yields a similar flavour I find! 🙂 N x
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.
Dozer loves Vegemite!! Well – he loves most foods anyway 😂
Hey Nagi! How long will the dressing last if refrigerated? Thanks again for the awesome recipe!!
Hi Shal, because it has raw garlic, I tend to use it within 3-4 days – N x
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!
Sounds like you nailed it Corinne, what a spread!!
Hi Nagi
Can you recommend a non-alcoholic substitute for sherry vinegar please 🙂
Beautiful recipe, will definitely make this again… so delicious x
Wahoo, that’s great Kathy!
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.
Woah sounds divine Gale!!!
Dear Nagi, I just made this for dinner and it tasted AMAZING! Both the spices for the chickpeas and the dressing were a big winner. Wouldn’t change a thing. Just one question: are the chickpeas supposed to be crunchy after frying? Because mine weren’t. I had hoped for them to be crunchy, but they were nevertheless delicious! Thanks for your great recipes!
Hi Barb, they don’t get crunchy crunchy unless you oven roast them and dry them out 🙂
Hi.. this sounds delicious 😘. What could I use as an alternative for the all-spice , as it’s not easily available in India ?