Chickpea And Spinach Salad With Cumin

Chickpea And Spinach Salad With Cumin

In this chickpea and spinach salad recipe, the versatile chickpea goes exotic in a deeply spiced, aromatic lemon and cumin dressing. Herbs punch it up with an unmistakable freshness, and the spinach provides a tender bed. An orange-infused yogurt topping for the salad creates a cool, creamy contrast. It’s great served with spiced pita chips or fresh bread.–Ellie Krieger

LC How Do We Love This…? Note

As Ellie recommends, this salad is certainly great with bread. But that’s hardly dinner. A light lunch, perhaps. But we think that would be a terrific waste of the citrus dressing, which has a lilt that’s oh so lovely alongside roast chicken or pork. Or, if you have extra leftover chicken or pork, consider shredding them the next night and tossing them on top of the salad. For a slightly more substantial vegetarian version of this salad, rip the spinach leaves into pieces rather than leave them whole and toss with some cooked brown rice, quinoa, or couscous. Or forget the spinach and instead add an extra handful of herbs and maybe some chopped bell peppers and…well, the options are really quite many.

Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin

  • Quick Glance
  • 10 M
  • 10 M
  • Serves 4

Ingredients

  • One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, preferably organic
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, preferably organic
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 cups lightly packed)
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped mint leaves

Directions

  • 1. In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and zest, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to coat evenly.
  • 2. In another small bowl, stir the yogurt, orange juice and zest, and honey.
  • 3. Divide the spinach leaves among 4 plates. Spoon the chickpea mixture over the spinach. Top with the yogurt sauce and sprinkle with the mint.

Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Recipe © 2009 Ellie Krieger. Photo © 2009 Christopher Hirsheimer. All rights reserved.

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