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A can of chickpeas is just the beginning of this salad! Throw in some charred peppers, fennel and scallions and you’re already on a whole new level. But toss it all with a garlic and cumin lime vinaigrette and you have a salad that truly stands on its own. A one-of-a-kind side dish for all sorts of meals!
This salad has become a staple in my house. The first time I made it was on a whim, throwing things together that I had on hand. But over the course of a year, I’ve honed in on the method, flavors, and ratio to create a salad that can be prepped and packed for lunches, served as a base for grilled chicken or pan-fried halloumi, or served alongside other dishes at a barbecue.
A Simple List of Ingredients
Most ingredients in this chickpea salad can either be found in your pantry (spices, oil, chickpeas) or in the produce section (bell peppers, scallions, lime).
The only ingredient I want to pull out and note is the fennel. Some grocery stores sell fennel bulbs with the fronds and stalks intact and some do not. Either works here. If your bulb does have the stalks still intact, feel free to grill those alongside the sliced fennel bulb. Just remove the fronds before grilling.
How to Make It
- Make the vinaigrette by combining the garlic, lime zest, and spices in a metal bowl.
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan until shimmering (it should slightly dance around but not be smoking).
- Pour the oil over the spice mixture and let it sizzle. Set aside while you prep the rest of the salad.
- This might be a new term for you—but we’re going to “lob” the bell peppers. This essentially means cutting them into large chunks alongside their lobes. Then cut the fennel into planks by cutting from top to bottom.
- Grill the vegetables until charred.
- Slice the peppers, dice the fennel, and mince the scallions.
- Combine the veggies and the chickpeas then toss with the vinaigrette. Stir in the cilantro.
Notes from Recipe Testing
When grilling the peppers and fennel, the goal is to achieve char and color and less about cooking them through. You still want them to retain some texture! So grill them hot and fast instead of over moderate heat for a longer period of time.
Pouring hot olive oil over the raw garlic and spices slightly cooks the raw garlic, so it’s not so potent, and toasts/unlocks the flavors of the spices. Together, these things make for a more robust and well-rounded vinaigrette.
I prefer this salad with cilantro, but parsley can always be substituted.
How I Like to Serve It
I’ve eaten this salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s wildly versatile! For breakfast I like to gently microwave a portion of the salad until warm and then top it with a fried egg. For lunch and dinner, I like to serve it with Grilled Chicken Souvlaki (grilled chicken skewers) or juicy pan-seared chicken breast.
Spiced Chickpea Salad with Grilled Peppers
Description
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Ingredients
Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette
- 3 cloves garlic, grated (2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon honey
Chickpea Salad
- 1 bunch scallions (6 scallions)
- 2 bell peppers, lobed*
- 1 fennel bulb, stalks removed, bulb cut top to bottom into planks
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro (or parsley)
Instructions
Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette
- Add 3 cloves grated garlic, 2 teaspoons cumin, grated zest of 1 lime (1–1½ teaspoons), 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika to a small metal bowl or heatproof glass bowl.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to shimmer, 3–4 minutes. Immediately pour oil over garlic-spice mix, allow it to bubble and sizzle, then whisk to combine; set aside.
Chickpea Salad
- On a gas grill, turn all burners to high, close lid, and preheat for 5 minutes. Brush grill grate clean.
- Spray scallions, peppers, and fennel with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Place scallions over high heat and grill until charred, about 2½ minutes, flipping occasionally.
- Place peppers and fennel over high heat and grill until charred, 5–6 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Mince scallions, thinly slice bell peppers into strips, and dice fennel; transfer to a large mixing bowl and add chickpeas.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon honey into cooled oil-spice mix; pour over salad and toss to combine.
- Stir in 1 cup chopped cilantro and season to taste with additional salt.
