Description
A refreshing and vibrant Smashed Cucumber and Chickpea Salad featuring crunchy cucumbers, protein-rich chickpeas, tangy pomegranate, and a creamy coconut tahini dressing. Perfect as a light meal or a flavorful side, this salad is quick to prepare and packed with fresh ingredients and exciting textures.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 200g baby or regular cucumbers, trimmed
- 200g chickpeas, drained weight
- 3 radishes, sliced thinly
- 40g pomegranate seeds
- 1 spring onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 tbsp)
- ½ tsp tahini (chilli-lime) seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Coconut Tahini Cream:
- 120g thick coconut yoghurt
- 1 tbsp runny, smooth tahini
- ½ lemon, juiced and zested (about 1 tbsp juice)
To Serve:
- Vegan feta cheese, crumbled
- Tortillas, nachos, crackers or bread
- Extra tajin (chilli-lime) seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers: Place the cucumbers on a chopping board and use a rolling pin to smash them gently. Roughly chop the smashed cucumbers into 1-inch pieces and place them in a sieve set over a bowl. Add a big pinch of salt to the cucumbers and leave them to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess water.
- Make the salad: While the cucumbers rest, combine chickpeas, sliced radishes, pomegranate seeds, spring onion, chopped mint, olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, and tahini seasoning in a large bowl. Toss everything well to evenly distribute the flavors.
- Prepare the coconut tahini cream: In a separate bowl, whisk together the thick coconut yoghurt, runny tahini, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and creamy.
- Rinse and dry cucumbers: After 10 minutes, rinse the salted cucumbers under running water to remove excess salt, then pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Combine salad components: Add the rinsed and dried cucumbers to the salad bowl and toss gently to mix all ingredients together evenly.
- Plate and serve: Spread the coconut tahini cream evenly over a large serving plate. Pile the cucumber and chickpea salad in the center. Sprinkle with crumbled vegan feta cheese and serve alongside tortillas, nachos, crackers, or bread. Optionally, add extra tajin (chilli-lime) seasoning to taste.
- Storage: Eat the salad right away for the freshest taste, or store the salad and coconut tahini cream separately in containers and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
- Salting the cucumbers helps remove excess water, preventing the salad from becoming soggy.
- You can substitute chickpeas with other beans like cannellini or butter beans for variation.
- The coconut tahini cream can be adjusted in consistency by adding more yoghurt or tahini as preferred.
- For a spicier kick, sprinkle additional chilli flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the salad.
- This salad is vegan and gluten-free by nature, making it suitable for a variety of diets.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
