Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini and Pita Crunch
A riff on a simple Middle Eastern garbanzo salad — falafel spices warmed in olive oil, a tangy tahini dressing, and crushed pita chips for unexpected crunch
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
- Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tahini paste
- 1 15-ounce can drained chickpeas or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 chopped green onions
- 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, or a mixture of the two
Garnishes
- 1 cup crumbled pita chips
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Put 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup chopped red onion, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, and a large pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, and ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cook 30 seconds more to "bloom" the spice in the oil.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons tahini paste. Stir until blended to the consistency of pancake batter. If your tahini paste has a thicker consistency, you can drizzle a teaspoon or two of water to lighten it.
- Put 1 15-ounce can drained chickpeas, 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes, 3 chopped green onions, 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper, and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro in a salad bowl or mixing bowl. Scrape the tahini mixture out of the skillet onto the salad. Toss everything together.
- Sprinkle 1 cup crumbled pita chips and ½ cup feta cheese over the salad. Toss gently and serve.
Notes
- Add-ins: Personalize your salad by adding 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber and a few handfuls of baby greens such as spinach or arugula.
- Keep the salad in the refrigerator 3-4 days. You may want to leave the chips out until serving so they don't become soggy.
- Homemade pita chips: Slice pita breads into triangle shapes. Toss with enough olive oil to coat and arrange in a layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400F until golden and crisp, 5-7 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSodium: 306mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6g
