May is birthday month. In my small surviving family, my dad, my brother and me were all born in May. Now that I’ve joined forces with my husband and his small family, we can add another birthday at the tail-end of April – which is definitely almost May. And that means, a lot of cake baking and a lot of cake eating. I’m not complaining. But as much as you’d love to, you can’t live on cake. Thankfully, there’s this lovely little salad on those non-cake days.
I know, it doesn’t look like much. Chickpeas, carrots, parsley and almonds. Pantry staples if ever there were any. Look in your fridge and cupboards and I’m almost sure you’ll have all the ingredients ready to go. Simple, solid ingredients but the results are pretty noteworthy. I’ve made this salad twice in a very short period of time and I can see myself chowing down on this on the reg’. It’s citrusy, smokey and a little bit spicy – though you can addd more cayenne for more bite. The carrots are fresh and crunchy while the parsley makes this salad feel like you’re doing something good. And the almonds? Well, that’s like icing on the cake, so to speak.
Now that I’m writing this all up, I think some dried cranberries (or raisins) and maybe a sprinkle of feta would be a good addition. Next time. And there will be a next time. Like maybe for lunch.
spiced chickpea & carrot salad with fried almonds
Adapted from Food & Wine magazine.The original recipe requires a food processor to process half the fried almonds with the dressing, so you get something resembling a paste. It sounds good, but I never feel like pulling out the processor for this. Next time, I tell myself. If you give it a try, let me know how it is. But as it stands, my version is pretty kick ass too. I think I will dry toast the almonds in an oven instead of over the stovetop. I always seem to burn nuts on the stove. It’s a curse. Plus, the dry toast would reduce the oil by a tablespoon which is an added bonus.
1 T vegetable oil
1/2 c sliced or roughly chopped almonds
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, juiced
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t sweet smoked paprika
1 t agave nectar or honey
1/4 t cayenne pepper
kosher salt
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 c packed fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
5 medium sized carrots, peeled and shreddedHeat the oil in a skillet and add in the almonds, toasting over medium heat until golden. Stir frequently or you’ll burn your nuts. I’m not kidding. Set aside.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, honey, cayenne & salt. Taste to adjust seasonings.
In a serving bowl, toss together the chickpeas, parsley, and carrots. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine. Toss with the fried almonds just before serving so that the nuts retain their crunch.
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I made a salad similar to this yesterday but with a cumin vinaigrette! Now I can’t wait to try it with this dressing. I’m really into carrot salads these days.
This looks soooo good!! Such a fun recipe!
I love everything about this salad! It looks like a great light lunch that winds up keeping you full forever. I love the fried almonds.
Hi, I just discovered your blog. I really love chickpeas. They’re so perfect on their own or cooked into something. The first thing that caught my attention was how colourful your salad is. I know it’s going to taste scrumptious!
This salad sounds like so much more than the sum of its parts! I bet I could eat a whole big bowl of it for lunch and declare myself well satisfied. 🙂
This looks like a must make salad, love the instant accessibility of all the ingredients. I used to make a dressing for a curly endive salad with ground almonds, dried chilli, oil, vinegar and a bit of sugar and the ground almonds really took to another place, so I think it’s definitely worth trying with the ground almonds.
The first thing I’ve noticed in this post is the color of this salad because its well presented and looks very delicious. I’m not a fan of chick pea, but with your recipe It’s a must try. Keep it up! XOXO
I am totally on a chickpea and carrot kick, too. This looks so enticing. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This dish looks amazing!! I’m all about the protein and fiber these days and this salad has plenty. I also love the spice combination you’ve used and the fried almonds are so genius! A great salad to make for a picnic too!
I can just see this with some roasted chicken!
This salad looks absolutely fantastic!! The colors are so beautiful!! Love it 🙂
xox Amy
I made this for lunch yesterday and it was delish. Making your potato and green bean salad with miso dressing for lunch today!
Joanne, I love carrot salads too – and this one has cumin in it too!
Thanks Katrina, I think so too 🙂
Ruthy, it’s very filling and it’s certainly something you could add extra protein too – like grilled chicken or tofu!
Thank you, Rosemary! Glad you’ve found my little space over here 🙂 Enjoy!
Eileen, yes, most definitely. I was happy to have this salad around for quick lunches and sad to see it go. I’ll be making this again soon.
Okay, I’m sold, Elizabeth! I’ll grind up those almonds, stat!
Thanks Jarome, colourful usually means delicious in my book 🙂 Enjoy!
Janet, thanks! Glad I’m not alone here 🙂
Joanne, I’m sure you’d love this salad – and yes, it’s the ideal picnic salad! Hope you had a great time in Montreal!!!
Blond Duck, definitely!
Thanks Amy!
Katie, so glad you enjoyed this – and that miso dressing salad is another favorite. I hope you love that one too! Thanks for sharing!