This Lebanese chickpea salad combines smoky tahini dressing with fresh vegetables and Mediterranean spices for a unique flavor. This wholesome, gluten-free dish will not only satisfy your appetite but will introduce you to the tastes of Lebanese cuisine.
Best of all, it is easily tossed together with simple ingredients readily available at your local grocery store.
In preparations for Easter Sunday dinner (or any holiday celebration, really), I always do these three things:
- make my menu
- organize my shopping list by the grocery aisles
- buy flexible clothes for binge eating...
...which also brings me to eating light the week before the holiday. Makes those trips for seconds and sometimes thirds justified. Ha!
My go-to light meal is this salad from Lebanon. It's packed with fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins and above all, flavor! The smoky tahini dressing is off the charts!
It smells and tastes like the Mediterranean summer. It's exotic and cozy at the same time, and comfortable like your old slippers.
A bowl of this salad with chickpeas is perfectly huggable and comforting when your calendar says it's spring, but you can still see your breath. Poor Easter Bunny will need his winter coat coming to our neck of the woods.
Ingredients:
Salad
- roasted red bell peppers (jarred or homemade)
- cooked or canned chickpeas
- plum tomatoes
- avocado
- marinated artichoke hearts
- green onions
- pitted black olives
- feta cheese
- golden raisins
- Fresh parsley
Dressing
- tahini
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- garlic
- smoked paprika
- ground cumin
- dried oregano
- black pepper
Directions:
- In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients for the salad.
- Blend together olive oil, tahini, vinegar, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Lebanese Chickpea Salad with Smoky Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, jarred or homemade
- 3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 seedless cucumber, sliced or diced
- 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 small avocado, sliced or diced
- 8 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pitted black olives
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients for the salad.
- Blend together olive oil, tahini, vinegar, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Lynda Hardy says
So many of my favorite salad flavors in this! That dressing is going straight to the top of my 'must try' list. Thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
Jas says
Hi, Linda! They are all of my favorites too and the dressing is super tasty 🙂
Miz Helen says
We sure enjoyed featuring your awesome post at Full Plate Thursday, and thanks so much for sharing it with us!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Thanks again, Miz Helen! It is super kind of you. Blessings
Liv says
Ahhh the avocado stars, so cute!! I love how varied but filling this salad looks.
Jas says
Thank you so much, Liv! Glad you like it and yes, the salad is very filling. 🙂
Balvinder says
I love a good salad like this with a balance of carbs and all the nutrients.
Jas says
Thank you! 🙂
Jann Olson says
What a beautiful plate of color!! Thanks for sharing the recipe with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jas says
Thank you, Jann! x
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Pinning this beautiful salad - and printing. Think I'll make it for lunch this week! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner Party! Happy Easter.
Jas says
Thank you, Helen! Hope you enjoy! Happy Easter!
Abbey says
Looks like a nice light salad perfect for the upcoming spring weather
Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Jas says
Thank you, Abbey!
Tracy Albiero says
Wow this looks really good! I love a colorful plate! #trafficjam
Jas says
Thank you, Tracy!
Laura Sampson says
This looks AMAZING I love a good salad.
Jas says
Thank you, Laura!:)
Life Diet Health says
Jas this is something I would definitely eat! I've never added smoked paprika to my tahini dressing before - excited now to try it! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Oh, then you must try it! It gives it a certain depth. 🙂
The Bearded Hiker says
Looks perfect for these already balmy days. That tahini dressing sounds amazing!
Jas says
Thank you, it's quite satisfying. 🙂
CakePants says
This looks wonderfully refreshing and flavorful, and I love the presentation, too! I never thought to cut avocado into shapes. I hope you and your family have a lovely Easter weekend 🙂
Jas says
Thank you so much! Wishing you the same 🙂 Blessings!
candy says
Always looking for new ways to use chickpeas. Found you on Bloggers Pit Stop
Jas says
Thanks for stopping in, Candy!
Chas says
This salad is something I would love to try! Pinned! Thanks for sharing on To Grandma's House We Go!
Jas says
Thanks, Chas! Appreciate it.
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
I love those bunny slippers!! This salad is so vibrant and beautiful, and I'm all about that smoky tahini dressing! This is just what I needed to usher in Spring! #brillblogposts
Jas says
Thanks, Michelle! I'm devastated that I can't find them in the stores. Maybe they'll be back come winter again.