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Moroccan Chickpea Salad with Quinoa, Pistachios, and Feta Recipe

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4.3 from 4 reviews

A vibrant and nutritious Moroccan Chickpea Salad featuring fluffy quinoa, spiced chickpeas, fresh herbs, crunchy pistachios, and tangy feta, all tossed in a zesty lemon-honey-Dijon dressing. Served with warm pita bread, this salad is perfect for a light lunch or a wholesome side dish.

Ingredients

Quinoa

  • 1 cup white quinoa
  • 1 3/4 cups water

Salad

  • 800 grams chickpeas (canned, strained and rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (finely ground)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • small bunch flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
  • small bunch mint (roughly chopped)
  • 2 Lebanese cucumbers (finely diced)
  • 1/2 medium red onion (peeled and finely diced)
  • 1 medium red capsicum (seeds removed and finely diced)
  • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios (toasted, roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 90 grams feta cheese

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

To Serve

  • 4 pita bread

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius to prepare it for warming the pita bread.
  2. Cook quinoa. Rinse quinoa under cold water in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear to remove saponins. Add the rinsed quinoa and water to a medium saucepan. Place lid on and bring to a boil. Boil until liquid starts to reduce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Turn off heat and keep lid on for 15 minutes to steam. Fluff quinoa with a fork after steaming.
  3. Warm pita. Wrap pita bread in aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into quarters once warm.
  4. Season chickpeas. In a large salad bowl, combine drained chickpeas with cumin, paprika, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Toss with a spoon to evenly coat the chickpeas in the spice mixture.
  5. Add salad ingredients. Add chopped parsley, mint, diced cucumbers, diced red onion, diced red capsicum, toasted pistachios, and dried cranberries to the bowl with the chickpeas. Stir to combine.
  6. Make dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while continuously whisking until the dressing is emulsified and well combined.
  7. Add quinoa and dressing to salad. Once cooled, add the fluffy quinoa and dressing to the salad bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly with the dressing.
  8. Serve. Crumble feta cheese over the top of the salad. Serve the salad alongside the warmed pita bread quarters.

Notes

  • Rinsing quinoa removes its natural bitter coating called saponins.
  • To toast pistachios, dry roast them in a pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
  • Warm the pita just before serving to ensure softness and freshness.
  • Feel free to substitute dried cranberries with raisins or chopped dried apricots for variation.
  • This salad can be made a few hours ahead; keep dressing separate until ready to serve for freshness.
  • Use extra virgin olive oil for a better flavor in the dressing.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/moroccan-chickpea-salad-with-quinoa-pistachios-and-feta-recipe/