Moroccan Chickpea Salad Recipe
Moroccan chickpea salad recipe with nutritious vegan ingredients including lemon-mint couscous, crispy chickpeas, veggies, and oil-free harissa dressing.
Servings: 6
Calories: 201kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups chickpeas 2 cans, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup white wine broth, or water
- 1 medium red pepper sliced into strips
- 1 small red onion halved and sliced
- 2 medium zucchinis courgette, diced
- 16 pitted green olives
- 2 teaspoons harissa powder
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ¾ cup couscous
- ½ cup mint leaves chopped or chiffonade
Instructions
- Mix ¼ cup of lemon juice, the harissa powder, and maple syrup in a small bowl, and set it aside.
- Add ¾ cup dry couscous to a medium bowl. Stir in ¼ a cup of lemon juice plus 1 ¼ cup of boiling water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid. Allow the couscous to rehydrate.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, but don't dry them. Add them to a medium bowl, and toss or shake with cumin, paprika, and salt.
- Heat a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to medium heat. Add the seasoned chickpeas and stir them constantly for about 5 minutes until they get slightly brown and firm. Remove them from the skillet and place them in a small bowl.
- Return the skillet to the stove and add ¼ cup of wine. Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and zucchini. Cook the veggies, stirring often, until they are soft and tender. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove any stuck-on spices from the chickpeas.
- Adjust the heat to low, stir in the olives and lemon dressing, and then turn off the heat and toss in the chickpeas.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the couscous and fluff it with a fork. Stir in half of the mint.
- Transfer the veggies, chickpeas, and couscous to a salad bowl, or add the couscous to the skillet. Garnish with the remaining mint and lemon wedges (if desired). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Harissa powder is quite spicy, so you may want to start with 1 teaspoon and taste the dressing before adding it to the vegetables. If harissa powder isn’t available, try ras el hangout, berbere spice blend, or chili powder.
- Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reserve, warm the salad to room temperature or wrap it in foil and steam it for a few minutes to serve it hot. Spruce it up with a little lemon juice.
- Quinoa is the best gluten-free substitute for couscous. Cook 1 cup of quinoa in lemon juice and water, according to the package directions.
Nutrition
Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1119IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg