Packed with fragrant spices, vibrant colors, and a perfect mix of sweet and savory flavors, this Moroccan-spiced carrot and chickpea salad is a feast for the senses. It puts a unique spin on the classic carrot-raisin salad. And the best part? You don’t need any hard-to-find ingredients to make it. Everything that makes it special is probably already on hand in your kitchen.
What You’ll Need To Make Moroccan-Spiced Carrot & Chickpea Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl (large enough to mix the entire salad), combine all of the ingredients for the dressing.
Whisk to combine.
Next, toast the almonds. Simply place them on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up and bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly golden. Keep a close eye on them; they go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly!
Next, add all of the salad ingredients to the bowl with the dressing.
Toss well, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, but preferably several hours. The salad tastes infinitely better cold, especially once the flavors have had a chance to marry.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then serve cold. Enjoy!
Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad
Servings: 6 (as a side dish)Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from one large lemon
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from one large orange
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
- ⅓ cup currants
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted (see note below)
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro (or a combination), plus more for serving
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots, from one large shallot
- 1 garlic clove, minced
In a large bowl (large enough to mix the entire salad), whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
To the dressing, add all of the ingredients for the salad and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (you might need more salt, lemon or honey, depending on the sweetness of the carrots). Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more fresh chopped herbs. Serve cold.
Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the almonds on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the almonds are golden.
Per serving (6 servings) Calories: 312, Fat: 15g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 40g, Sugar: 19g, Fiber: 9g, Protein: 8g, Sodium: 522mg, Cholesterol: 0mg
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
