15-Minute Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Salad

This 15-minute Spiced Chickpea Salad is made with diced bell pepper, fresh herbs, Moroccan spices and lemon juice. The Mediterranean flavors make this a super refreshing and easy salad to make and enjoy as a side, snack or meal!

If you love and Mediterranean flavors, you will love this spicy chickpea salad. It’s a dense bean salad (similar to this white dense bean salad) that’s loaded with herbs and Moroccan spices.

The spices and herbs are commonly used in Moroccan recipes like this classic Moroccan Tomato Salad and Moroccan Cucumber Salad.

Also learn how to cook dried chickpeas here.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this Moroccan chickpea salad:

• chickpeas, drained (see note for dry chickpeas)
• green bell pepper, minced
• red bell pepper, minced
• parsley, minced
• cilantro, minced
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
• cumin
• smoked paprika

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Hint: keep reading for a tip on how to make this salad using dry chickpeas.

Canned vs. Dry Chickpeas

You can use canned or dry chickpeas for this recipe.

Using canned chickpeas means a little less preparation for the recipe, and a faster end result. They can be very convenient when in a hurry. Just make sure to drain and rinse them before using.

I love saving the liquid (aquafaba) that chickpeas are canned in to use as a vegan substitute for egg whites in all kinds of magical recipes. It’s a great way to reduce food waste.

Learn how to cook dried chickpeas here.

What to Eat it With

This salad goes great with pretty much any Mediterranean food. I really enjoy pairing with Moroccan salads, tagines, or a crusty piece of bread.

Here are my go-to’s:

Variations

This spiced chickpea salad is extremely versatile and easy to adapt. Here are some of my favorite ways to mix it up:

• Spicy – add a pinch of cayenne or chili powder to the dressing for a spicy bite
• Add tomato – tomatoes pair really well with the ingredients in this recipe (similar to the flavors in this Moroccan pepper salad) – fresh cherry tomatoes or sun dried are my favorite
• Add cheese – add some small balls of mozzarella or crumbled feta for a tangy cheesy bite

Chickpeas vs. Garbanzos

If you’re familiar with the ingredient, you know the legume can go by two different names: chickpea and garbanzo bean.

While both names are correct, the history behind them is actually quite interesting (depending on who you ask).

The word chickpea has a Latin root, while garbanzo comes from a Spanish background.

All this to say that certain cuisines and regions of the world may call the bean one name or the other, depending on the history of that location.

Both names are correct and refer to the same ingredient.

Storage

This salad keeps wonderfully stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. It makes a delicious meal prep recipe as the fresh ingredients hold up well over time.

Top tip

My top tip for making this Moroccan chickpea salad is to take your time when dicing the bell peppers and herbs.

Because this spiced chickpea salad is so easy to make, the chopping is the most important step in creating a gorgeous salad full of fun and flavorful texture.

Take your time with your dicing and make sure the veggies are consistent in size!

Enjoy,

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