Description
A refreshing and vibrant Smashed Cucumber and Chickpea Salad featuring tender smashed cucumbers, chickpeas, crunchy radishes, and pomegranate seeds, tossed in a zesty tahini and lemon dressing. Served with creamy coconut tahini cream and vegan feta cheese, this salad is perfect for a light lunch or snack and pairs beautifully with crackers or bread.
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 transfer to a sieve placed over a bowl. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and leave to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Make the salad: While the cucumbers are resting, combine the chickpeas, sliced radishes, pomegranate seeds, spring onion, chopped mint, olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, chilli-lime tahini seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss well to mix all the flavors together.
- Prepare the coconut tahini cream: In a separate bowl, whisk together the thick coconut yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Rinse and dry cucumbers: Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to remove some of the salt and excess liquid. Pat them dry thoroughly with a clean towel or paper towel.
- Combine cucumbers with salad: Add the dried cucumbers to the salad mixture and toss everything together gently but thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
- Serve: Spread the coconut tahini cream evenly over a large serving plate. Pile the smashed cucumber and chickpea salad in the center. Top with crumbled vegan feta cheese and sprinkle additional tajin seasoning if desired. Serve with tortillas, nachos, crackers, or bread on the side.
- Storage: Enjoy the salad immediately for the best texture and freshness, or store the salad and coconut tahini cream separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
- Salting the cucumbers before adding them to the salad helps remove excess water, keeping the salad from becoming soggy.
- Using fresh pomegranate seeds adds a burst of sweetness and color to the salad.
- The coconut tahini cream can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for convenience.
- For a non-vegan version, you can substitute vegan feta with regular feta cheese.
- Adjust the amount of chilli-lime seasoning to your spice preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 250g)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
