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–+ servings

Carrot Salad with Aleppo Chickpeas & Date Vinaigrette

5 | 5 reviews
This stunning carrot salad might be my best combination of flavors yet. The nutty, spicy chickpea topping goes right on top of a crisp, refreshing pile of vegetables. The carrot salad is tossed in a simple date vinaigrette, which takes minutes to make. The sweetness of the salad plays off of the salty topping so well that it keeps you coming back for more... and more. And more. Serve it as a big side salad for a dinner party, or it makes two dinner servings for a quick weeknight meal!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the spicy chickpea crumble
  • 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup raw pistachios, shells removed
  • 1/4 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander, cumin, and Aleppo pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the carrot salad
  • 3 large carrots
  • 5 medium scallions
  • 1/2 medium red onion
For the date vinaigrette
  • 2 large medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 lemon for zest and juice
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  1. Set a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
  2. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Use a knife to very finely chop the chickpeas into "crumbles" (see blog post for images). Spread these out on the sheet pan.
  4. Finely chop the pistachios and walnuts and set aside.
  5. Sprinkle the spices onto the chickpeas and season with a teaspoon of salt. Drizzle with the olive oil and gently mix.
  6. Bake the chickpeas for 15 minutes. Remove the pan, give the crumbles a shake, then scatter the nuts on top of the chickpeas. Bake another 5-10 minutes or until the chickpeas are crisp and the nuts are fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  7. While the chickpeas are roasting, prepare the salad.
  8. Use a julienne peeler (or any peeler you have) to grate the carrots into a large bowl.
  9. Slice the scallions on a sharp angle and thinly slice the red onion. If you have time, soak these in an ice bath for a few minutes before adding them to the carrots. This will make the mellow and wonderfully crisp.
  10. In a small bowl, prepare the date vinaigrette.
  11. Finely chop the dates and add the to the bowl. Zest in half the lemon and squeeze in all the lemon juice. Grate in the garlic cloves and season with a large pinch of salt.
  12. Add the olive oil and vinegar and mix. Season with the Aleppo pepper flakes, then add salt and pepper to taste.
  13. When the salad is ready to assemble, add the scallions and red onion in with the carrots, then add the date vinaigrette and toss.
  14. Portion either onto one big serving platter or two individual bowls. Scatter the top of the salad with a generous portion of the chickpea-nut crumble, and serve!