Last updated on October 2nd, 2022 at 07:00 pm
With spiced roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, mint and preserved lemon this Roasted Chickpea Salad is simple to make with just enough spice to make it a little special and exotic.
Since our beautiful friend visited us for a week and left to continue her solo journey around the country in a campervan, her dogs in tow, my mind has been filled with notions of courage.
Of course I think my friend is brave for embarking on such a huge solo journey, but her inner journey is the one I most admire. Armed with just enough self-love to give herself permission, she is taking a time-out from her regular life to get to know herself better, to make friends with herself. She's pushing the pause button on the din and making an investment in herself on her own terms.
My friend is in a position to take a time-out while some of us are not, but I don't think that means each of us can't find our little piece of brave and let it breath.
Being brave means something different for each of us. For me, it means owning what I really want and putting it out in to the universe for all to see. I have a neat trick of saying something meaningful but then watermarking the statement with a disclaimer. It goes something like, " I want a castle...but I would be more than happy with a shed."
To be clear, I don't actually want a castle, too much cleaning, but if I was exercising my brave muscles I would lay claim to the castle and see what the universe provides.
I made this roasted chickpea salad with cauliflower, preserved lemons and mint at Christmas and it was a hit. The many times I have made it since, I have made little tweaks to the spice balance to get it just right. Just right for me, that is.
The beauty of this salad is that the measures can be tweaked to suit your taste. I love preserved lemon and would add it by spoonful if left unchecked but not everyone loves its sour, saltiness - if that's the case you could simply add a little lemon zest to the salad and perhaps a scattering of capers.
Clean and simple, this chickpea salad contains only chickpeas, cauliflower, mint red onion (again if you don't like the onion, leave it out) and cucumber but those ingredients are brought together with a beautifully balanced, spiced vinaigrette. I am not going to lie, I eat this salad straight from the mixing bowl, sometimes it makes it to the table, sometimes not.
Recipe Notes
While you can use canned chickpeas, I have to say it does make a noticeable difference to the taste compared with prepared dried chickpeas. In a pinch, canned chickpeas will do to save time but if you get a chance to prepare them from scratch, I totally recommend it. It's super easy and the result is so good. I have instructions on how to cook chickpeas from scratch in this recipe for my walk -away chickpea tomato and spinach curry.
And finally, a word on mint. This salad loves mint so forget the less is more mantra; go hard with the mint, you won't regret it.
This chickpea salad makes my tastebuds sing. When I create dishes that make me smile or have the family going back for more I feel a little brave flame fluttering. People eat my food and...sometimes they really like it. Maybe enough to buy the book. If I don't put it out there, it has no chance of ever happening. So, it's out there.
Enjoy, xx.
If you love chickpeas as much as I do try these recipes:
Zesty Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Mushroom and Chickpea Tikka Masala
Game-changing Chickpea Tofu Bowl
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 400 grams / 14oz can canned chickpeas drained and dried well
- 450 g cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- ¼ teaspoon all-spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoon preserved lemon flesh removed and the skin finely diced
- ½ red onion peeled and finely diced
- ½ cup fresh mint finely chopped
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers small cucumbers, finely diced
For the Dressing
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon raw caster sugar or any fine sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
For the Chickpeas and Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (395°F) and line a large roasting pan with baking paper.
- In a large bowl combine the chickpeas, cauliflower, olive oil, cumin, coriander, all-spice, cardamom and salt. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to the oven tray and pop in the oven fro 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the Dressing
- In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Continue whisking while adding the olive oil in a stream.
- Scoop out the flesh of the lemon and discard. F finely chop the skin and add it to the dressing.
To Assemble the Salad
- Combine the roast chickpeas, cauliflower, onion, mint and cucumber in a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Allison Glynn says
What is the sugar for?
Amanda says
Hi Allison,
Dang, my mistake. The sugar goes in the dressing to offset the saltiness. I am sorry it wasn't indicated. I have fixed that now.
Cheers
A
Noelene says
Amanda, I am searching for vegan food for a wedding in a few weeks time. Just wondering if this salad is served hot or can it be prepared in advance. Happy to have found your website. Noelene
Amanda says
Hi Noelene,
A wedding! How wonderful. I serve this bowl at room temperature all the time - I actually prefer it. It keeps beautifully in the fridge too, no worries. I hope everything goes fantastically and wish you a magical day.
Michelle Alston says
Girl you better make sure that book is published this side of the world! So excited for you and I know there will be no if's or but's, I am sure you will have your book and I will be waiting patiently until I can buy it x
Amanda says
You are, without a doubt, one of my most treasured discoveries during this whole blogging journey. Thank you talented, wonderful friend. x
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
such lovely serendipity reading your words this morning. My aspiration for this year is intimately linked to bravery and finding the courage to speak my truth even when I'm terrified; at a certain point, the pain of silence and inaction overwhelms the fear of action and when you finally get to that point, it can be quite freeing; I was drawn to this recipe because the other week my husband and I had the experience of finding a common order of potatoes transformed into something extraordinary through the addition of mint - truly, the taste was remarkably good. Your dish not only looks beautiful but I can imagine how well all the flavors, particularly the lemon and mint, come together here. I will definitely be trying it. Thank you for sharing the recipe and a little piece of your heart - sending all the good vibes your way as you prepare your cookbook proposal ♥
Amanda says
Hi Kelly, thanks so much for your beautiful words. I hope you find your voice and speak your truth whatever that may be. Only beautiful things can come from allowing our true self to be seen. I think it can be tricky journey to navigate, fear has a way of freezing us, but ultimately so worthwhile.
I hope you love the recipe as much as I do and yes, mint is a bringer of all good things. Take care and I too am sending you happy, positive thoughts.
Brynn says
You're completely missing directions.
Amanda says
Arggghhh. Thank you! I am using a new system to make updates to some of my posts and it is going haywire and publishing drafts not finished recipes.. My apologies, Brynn. I have manually updated the recipe now.
Carol Mackinnon says
I don't have any preserved lemons available and it take two or three weeks to prepare them. May
I make it without adding it??
Amanda says
Totally, Carol. Maybe pop some lemon zest in the salad and a touch more salt...or capers! Capers would be great. Just a few. I hope you love it. Thanks for stopping by 🙂