Description
A refreshing and vibrant Smashed Cucumber and Chickpea Salad featuring crisp cucumbers, tender chickpeas, and a zesty chilli-lime tahini dressing, finished with a creamy coconut tahini sauce and vegan feta. Perfect as a light meal or a flavorful side, served alongside crunchy crackers or toasted 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 and zest)
To Serve:
- Vegan feta cheese, crumbled
- Tortillas, nachos, crackers or bread
- Extra tajin (chilli-lime) seasoning, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers: Place the cucumbers on a chopping board and use a rolling pin to gently smash them. This breaks them up for better texture and flavor absorption. Roughly chop the smashed cucumbers into 1-inch pieces, then place them in a sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and leave them to drain and soften for 10 minutes.
- 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, tahini seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss all ingredients well to ensure the dressing is evenly distributed.
- 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. This will serve as a tangy, rich base for plating the salad.
- Rinse and dry cucumbers: After the cucumbers have drained, rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towel, then add them to the salad bowl. Toss everything together carefully to combine.
- Assemble and serve: Spread the coconut tahini cream evenly over a large serving plate. Pile the combined smashed cucumber and chickpea salad in the center. Sprinkle crumbled vegan feta over the top and add a final dusting of extra tajin seasoning if desired. Serve immediately with your choice of tortillas, nachos, crackers, or bread on the side.
- Storage: If not eating right away, store the salad and coconut tahini cream separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Both will keep fresh for 2-3 days.
Notes
- The smashing step helps tenderize the cucumbers and releases more flavor.
- Use chickpeas drained from canned or cooked from dry beans—both work well.
- If you don’t have tajin seasoning, use chili powder with a squeeze of lime juice instead.
- The coconut tahini cream adds a luscious dairy-free alternative to traditional dressings.
- Adjust maple syrup and lemon juice to taste for sweetness or tanginess balance.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated for a couple of days with separate storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (half the recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
