Description
A refreshing and vibrant Smashed Cucumber and Chickpea Salad featuring crunchy cucumbers, chickpeas, radishes, and pomegranate, tossed with a zesty chilli-lime tahini dressing and served with a creamy coconut tahini sauce. Perfect as a light lunch or snack, this salad is garnished with vegan feta 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
- 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
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 gently smash them. Roughly chop the smashed cucumbers into 1-inch pieces and place them in a sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and leave to one side for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Make the salad: While the cucumbers rest, 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 everything well to combine all the flavors.
- Prepare the coconut tahini cream: In a separate bowl, whisk together the thick coconut yoghurt, smooth tahini, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Finish the cucumbers: Rinse the cucumbers under cold water to remove some of the salt, then pat them dry thoroughly using kitchen paper. Add the cucumbers to the salad bowl and toss everything together evenly.
- To serve: Spread the coconut tahini cream evenly across a large serving plate. Pile the smashed cucumber and chickpea salad in the center. Top with crumbled vegan feta cheese and sprinkle extra tajin seasoning if desired. Serve with tortillas, nachos, crackers, or your choice of bread.
- Storage: Eat the salad immediately for the best texture, or store the salad and coconut tahini cream separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
- Spoiling the cucumbers with salt helps remove excess water, keeping the salad crisp and fresh.
- You can adjust the level of chilli-lime seasoning according to your taste preference.
- This salad is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
- Use fresh pomegranate seeds for added sweetness and color.
- Serve with your favorite crunchy side like crackers or toasted bread for a complete snack or light meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
