Moroccan Chickpea Salad

This Moroccan Chickpea Salad is anything but bland! This is a hearty salad full of exotic, warm spiced flavors complimented by the cool crunch of cucumber and red bell pepper, topped with creamy hummus and a generous scoop of couscous. This salad is as delicious as it is nourishing!

Salads in Morocco are nearly all cooked and flavors of Moroccan cuisine are similar to a mild version of Indian food. Most of the vegetables are cooked along with the protein with aromatic spices such as cumin, paprika, cinnamon, saffron, and ginger root. Flavorful but typically not spicy-hot. Couscous is a common ingredient in Moroccan salads and conveniently cooks in 5 minutes!

This Moroccan Chickpea Salad is rich in protein and fiber and as flavorful as it is nourishing!

Is this a “traditional” Moroccan salad?

Nope! I’ve played around with seasoning combinations for the chickpea, onions, and tomato mix and the flavor that I enjoy the most is actually garam masala! This is a spice blend that originated in Northern India, not Morocco. This blend typically includes cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper and gives this salad the perfect warm flavor combo I was looking for!

So, this salad is more Moroccan/Indian fusion. But pretty much every cuisine has become a fusion; there technically isn’t any “traditional” cuisines anymore as everything has had an influence from somewhere else. Did you know that “traditional” Italian cuisine didn’t use basil, garlic, or tomatoes in their cooking at all? Seriously! These ingredients weren’t introduced to Europe until the 16th century, which is fairly recent in the scheme of things. Before then, ancient Roman cookbooks (and thus, early Italian) had recipes that used ingredients that we don’t associate with Italian cooking at all! Garum was a staple seasoning in Roman cookbooks (much like soy sauce is a staple in Asian cuisine) and is a fish sauce made from fermented fish guts, blood, and other parts. Fish roe (eggs) were also common ingredients as was the prized silphium plant, which belonged to the fennel family (now extinct due to over-harvesting). So, while “traditional” Mediterranean recipes consisted of garum fish sauce, there wasn’t a single mention of garlic, basil, or tomatoes until fairly recently. Cuisine is ever-evolving!

What is couscous?

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco. It’s a processed grain product made from little balls of durum wheat or semolina flour. If you’re gluten free then swap couscous out for quinoa! (Make sure it’s certified gluten-free so there’s no cross contamination in the facility where it’s produced.)

One cup of cooked couscous contains 6 grams of protein and 60% of your daily intake of selenium!

What is selenium?

Selenium is an essential mineral that acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants work as free radical scavengers by repairing oxidative and DNA damage, which improves the immune defense and may lower the risk of cancer and diseases.¹

Oxidative stress can also be a factor in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have low levels of selenium. Plant-based or Mediterranean diets are rich in selenium, omega-3s, and B vitamins and can help reduce risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. ² Selenium also reduces inflammation and can therefore lower risk of heart disease.³

Are chickpeas healthy?

Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are one of the healthiest legumes! Chickpeas are a clean source of protein and very rich in fiber: one cup of cooked chickpeas contains 14.4 grams of protein and 12.4 grams of fiber! Chickpeas are also loaded with: 

• Calories: 269
• Fat: 4 grams
• Carbs: 45 grams

(% of Daily Value per 1 cup)

• Manganese: 84%
• Folate: 71%
• Copper: 29%
• Phosphorus: 28%
• Iron: 26%
• Magnesium: 20%
• Zinc: 17%
• Potassium: 14%
• Thiamin: 13%
• Vitamin B6: 11%

Chickpeas also contains vitamin K, choline, potassium, calcium, selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin E.⁴

Chickpeas and preventing illness

Chickpeas may help protect against cancer! The American Institute for Cancer Research published a detailed analysis of diet and cancer with nine research teams from around the world creating a scientific consensus report that was reviewed by 21 of the top cancer researchers. One of the recommendations for cancer prevention is to eat whole grains and/or legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc) with every meal!⁵

The choline in chickpeas can help with brain and nervous system functions such as learning, memory, and mood. The selenium can aid in cognitive health, supporting memory and thinking.⁶  

Chickpeas help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, support heart health, lower the risk for heart disease, help prevent high blood pressure, contribute to bone health and strength, and the high iron content aids in preventing anemia.

Cucumbers

Although often thought of as a vegetable, cucumbers are actually fruits. What makes them a fruit? Their biological function! Cucumbers grow from flowers and contain dozens of seeds which may eventually grow into new plants. These refreshing fruits are comprised of 96% water⁷ but that doesn’t mean they don’t also contain nutrients! One unpeeled 11 oz cucumber contains:

• Calories: 45
• Total fat: 0 grams
• Carbs: 11 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams

(% of the Recommended Daily Intake:)

• Vitamin K: 62%
• Vitamin C: 14%
• Magnesium: 10%
• Potassium: 13%
• Manganese: 12%

Most of the nutrients, as well as the fiber, is found in the dark green layer. A great reason to buy organic; wash your fruits and veggies well and don’t peel them!

Moroccan Chickpea Salad

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5 from 6 reviews

• Author: The Wandering Veggie
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 5 bowls 1x
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This Moroccan Chickpea Salad is full of exotic, warm spiced flavors complimented by the cool crunch of cucumber and red bell pepper, topped with creamy hummus and a generous scoop of couscous. A salad that is as delicious as it is nourishing!

 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• olive oil for sautéing
• 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup red cabbage, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2–1” piece of ginger, grated or minced
• 2–15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked)
• 1– 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
• 1 cup couscous (uncooked)

Spices

• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper (to taste)

For Serving

• Lettuce, chopped
• 1 cucumber, sliced and then quartered
• 1/2–1 red or green bell pepper, cut in spears
• Tomato, sliced
• Small handful cilantro, chopped
• 1–2 green onion stalks, chopped
• Hummus
• Red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)

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Instructions

1. Heat oil in large pot on medium/low heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Stir in red cabbage, garlic and ginger root and cook for about 30 seconds.
2. Add cooked chickpeas, fire roasted tomatoes, ¼ cup water or veggie broth, and all of the spices. Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup of couscous according to package directions.
4. To serve: start with a bed of chopped lettuce, then add a generous scoop of chickpea mixture, a spoonful of couscous, a small handful of fresh cucumber, bell pepper, sliced tomato, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Top with a dollop of hummus and a sprinkle of green onions and optional red pepper flakes for spice. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftover chickpea mixture keeps in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: salads and bowls
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, Moroccan

Did you enjoy this Moroccan Chickpea Salad? I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below!

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352873717300409
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/selenium-benefits#3.-May-protect-against-heart-disease
4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chickpeas-nutrition-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
5. https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/chickpeas
6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280244#:~:text=A%20cup%20of%20chickpeas%20contains%2069.7%20mg%20of%20choline%2C%20which,well%20as%20the%20body’s%20metabolism
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5084017/