This chickpea tahini salad is delightfully different. It has both mashed and whole chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, onions and cucumbers, herbs and a lemony tahini dressing that is drinkable. Eat this plant-based and gluten free salad on a bed of greens, on toast or in a sandwich or wrap for a satisfying and healthy meal. This recipe post was sponsored by Mighty Sesame Co. I have been compensated for using their product but all opinions are my own.
What is tahini?
In case you didn't know, tahini is a paste made from grinding sesame seeds. The Middle East and Mediterranean regions use tahini in many traditional dishes. You probably know it best from hummus but there are so many uses for this allergy friendly seed "butter". The taste is slightly bitter and nutty. My favorite sesame tahini is made by Mighty Sesame Co. I love them because their organic tahini is always runny, never clumpy and only has one ingredient: sesame seeds. This chickpea tahini salad wouldn't be the same without creamy tahini.
Ingredients for Chickpea Tahini Salad
This is a really simple recipe, with a short list of ingredients. It's a recipe you can make year round. Let's discuss the ingredients.
- Sesame Tahini-Tahini paste gives this salad a distinctly delicious flavor and creamy texture. If you cannot get sesame tahini, I recommend substituting 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or mash a ripe avocado into the chickpeas when smashing.
- Lemon Juice- Lemon really brightens the flavors and balances the bitterness of tahini. If you prefer, use orange or lime. It will change the flavor slightly but both work well to balance tahini in dressings.
- Pure maple syrup- I added just a touch of pure maple syrup to make the flavors more balanced but you can certainly leave it out if you are avoiding added sweetener.
- Salt- Salt makes all flavors pop. Leave it out if your Doctor has instructed you to.
- Chickpeas- Chickpeas are the "meat" of this recipe. Without them this would be more of a condiment like salsa to top things with. Other beans that would work well in this recipe are Cannellini beans, lentils and butter beans.
- Cherry tomatoes- You all know cherry tomatoes are my go-to tomato. That is because the have the best flavor all year round. You can use whatever you have in your garden or grab compari, Roma or tomatoes on the vine.
- Persian cucumbers- Persian cucumbers are superior in every way to most cucumbers. That's because the peel is edible, they aren't seedy or watery and the flavor is never bitter. My second choice is always English.
- Cilantro- It's no secret that I can eat my weight in cilantro. However, I know not everyone has the same fondness for this zingy, bright and fresh herb. Substitute parsley or mint if you prefer!
- Red onion-Red onion gives this dish a nice, sharp bite! If you are not a huge onion fan, substitute a milder green onion for the red. That way you will still get the flavor but without the sharpness.
How to make Chickpea Tahini Salad
This salad is easy enough for a beginner cook. All it takes is some chopping and a little mixing. There is no cooking involved! You only need about 15 minutes to have this delicious, dairy free recipe ready.
- Prep the chickpeas- First, you must drain the chickpeas well. Then, put half of the can worth into a bowl and mash them with the back of a fork. Then add the other half can of whole chickpeas.
- Chop the veggies- With a sharp knife, dice the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions and herbs. Then add them to the chickpeas.
- Make the dressing- In a small bowl or jar, add tahini, lemon, water, salt and pure maple syrup. Whisk or mix with a fork until well combined and super creamy.
- Toss the salad- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well combined.
Other delicious Tahini recipes
Chickpea Tahini Salad
Ingredients
- 15 oz chickpeas canned, drained
- ¼ red onion diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers diced
- 4 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ tsp pure maple syrup
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp water
- 4 tbsp sesame tahini
Instructions
- Put ½ the can of chickpeas in a large bowl. With the back of a fork, mash the chickpeas until they are course and mealy. Stop before you make them into a paste. Then add in the other half of the chickpeas and keep them whole.
- To the bowl, add the tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and cilantro.
- Make the dressing by combining tahini, lemon, water and salt and mixing until well combined. It will be smooth, fairly thick and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well combined.
- Enjoy on toast, in a sandwich, on crackers or over greens. Cover and refrigerate and eat within 3-4 days for best quality.
