Moroccan Chickpea Salad Recipe

In the world of salads, there are lots of different options to try, and they come with all different types of ingredients and dressings. Is it just us, or is it fun to play the game of salad roulette and try something new? This Moroccan chickpea salad is one of the best that you will ever taste, and it's filled with wholesome ingredients like spinach, garbanzo beans, and kalamata olives. We love salad because it alternates between a side dish and a main course and it's always fresh. 

Recipe developer Hayley MacLean of Happy Healthy Hayley came up with this delicious salad that is a must-try for your next get-together. "What I love about this salad is the deep, rich flavors and all the great textures in it. The dressing is full of such wonderful spices and the mustard adds a bit of tang to make it really pop," MacLean raves. "All the ingredients have such individual textures and tastes, like the sweet and soft apricot against the salty [and]oily olives, backed up by the nutty chickpeas and bits of fresh spinach. [This] salad is an amazing, well-rounded meal!" 

Keep reading to find out how to easily whip up this salad in just 20 minutes.

Ready to kick things off? If so, you'll need a pen and paper to make a list for the grocery store. Start with some red wine vinegar and olive oil. In addition, you'll need minced garlic. To add some flavor to the salad, be sure to pick up Dijon mustard, and dried marjoram, oregano, and paprika. The recipe also calls for salt and pepper, so check to see if you have those at home before buying more.

True to the salad's Moroccan inspiration, you'll also need garbanzo beans, a red onion, and dried apricots. Then, pick up some kalamata olives, Italian parsley, baby spinach, and pistachios. "This [salad] is full of plant-based protein on its own, but a grilled chicken breast or salmon filet would make a great pairing if [you're] looking for something heartier," MacLean says. 

This salad has a lot of wholesome ingredients, but there's no doubt that the star of the dish is the garbanzo beans. These have a lot of health benefits, and MacLean does a good job of explaining them. "Chickpeas are so full of protein and fiber. The high amount of plant-based protein — 14.5 grams per cup — can help you feel full longer, and keep your body strong," she says. "Fiber is an amazing nutrient that benefits digestion, heart health, and helps with blood sugar control. These [nutrients], along with many other vitamins and minerals, make chickpeas an extremely healthy choice." We love the sound of that! 

Now that you've finished grocery shopping and learned about the health benefits of garbanzo beans, you can get to work on this yummy salad. Start by grabbing a small bowl to mix the dressing. Toss in the red wine vinegar and olive oil, then add the garlic, Dijon mustard, marjoram, oregano, and paprika. Last but certainly not least, sprinkle in some salt and pepper.

Use a whisk to mix the dressing and combine all the ingredients. "The flavor of this dressing is bright and earthy. Combining the vinegar, Dijon, and garlic gives a great bite to the salad, the paprika gives a bit of sweetness, and the oregano and marjoram are fragrant and herbaceous," MacLean explains. "It coats the salad wonderfully and [makes] every bite delicious." 

Select a large bowl and toss in the three cans of garbanzo beans. Remember that you should have drained and rinsed the beans ahead of time as you don't want all that excess moisture in your salad. 

Next, add the red onion, dried apricots, and kalamata olives. "The red onions should be cut to about a ¼-inch dice, [big] enough to not get lost in the mix, but [small enough so] you do not end up with a big mouthful of onion." MacLean says. "The apricots I slice to about ¼-inch as well, so you get a little sweetness in each forkful." 

Then, throw in the Italian parsley. Now you can grab the dressing that you mixed in the previous step and drizzle it over the salad to coat.

What salad is complete without some greens? One of the last things you'll need to add to the salad is some baby spinach. Then, add a little salt and pepper before topping it with chopped pistachios.

It's best to serve the salad the same day you toss it in the dressing. You can also add extra fresh parsley if you wish. "This salad makes a great meal all on its own, it is full of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. However, if [you're using this as] a side salad, it would go wonderfully with a big sandwich or a bowl of your favorite soup — it completes any meal perfectly." MacLean says. "Leftovers will keep up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container — the longer it sits, the more the flavors get to meld together and marinate, so it makes a great make-ahead dish!"