Roasted Beet and Chickpea Salad

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This Beet and Chickpea Salad is a quick, easy-to-make dish that makes for a satisfying veggie dinner. It’s spiced with some delicious harissa mixed with some Greek yogurt that complements the earthy beetroots.

About this Beet and Chickpea Salad

I’m always looking for hearty vegetarian meals that have a good amount of protein.

If you’re following a Mediterranean-style diet, you’re always looking at where you can up your plant-based protein, which generally leads you towards beans and legumes.

So a hearty portion of chickpeas never goes amiss, and along with the beets, means you know you’re not going to feel too 

I’m a big fan of harissa and it’s used nicely here to spice the yogurt that coats the spiced chickpeas and beetroot. Roasting really brings out the sweetness out of the beets too. 

Throw in some other interesting spices like sumac and cumin and topped with some mint, and there’s such a great contrast of tastes.

Sometimes salads can be a bit boring, but this one really hits the spot.

Why You Should Try It

If you’re tired of the same old salad and want to spice things up a bit, this dish is for you. 

  1. A nutritional delight: Beetroot is packed with essential nutrients, while chickpeas are an excellent source of protein. Add some Greek yogurt, and you’ve got a protein powerhouse that doesn’t require meat.
  2. An explosion of flavor: The Greek yogurt adds the needed tanginess to the earthy chickpeas and beetroot with a spicy kick from the harissa.
  3. Super easy to make: It simply involves roasting the chickpeas and beetroot for 30 minutes and making the harissa yogurt sauce in the meantime. What could be more simple?

Ingredients (+ Substitutions)

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this beet and chickpea salad.

  • Beets: These and the chickpeas make up the bulk of the dish. You can use baby beets instead and double the quantities instead.
  • Chickpeas: We’ve used canned chickpeas in this recipe, which are precooked and don’t need to be soaked beforehand. Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. 
  • Spices: we’ve used sumac and cumin in this recipe. Cumin adds a nice earthy flavor whilst sumac has a tart-taste with a little sweetness. The chili flakes add the kick at the end, but you can use some cayenne pepper instead for that extra heat.
  • Olive oil: Choose the best quality olive oil you can. Extra virgin olive oil is usually the best, and has a whole host of health benefits to boot.
  • Lemon: Both the zest and juice are needed, bringing a little balance to the heat of the chili flakes and harissa.
  • Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt tastes great and adds some extra creaminess to the dish and has a bit of extra protein vs other types of yogurt too! Low-fat or no-fat yogurt don’t have that creamy taste but you may need to watch your saturated fats as well.
  • Harissa:  is a North African red chile paste made with chilis, garlic, olive oil and a couple of different spices like cumin, coriander and caraway seeds. Store-bought is easier but if you’re making your own, you can finely chop some red chilis, a pinch of caraway seeds and some olive oil to make a paste similar to something like pesto.
  • Mint: Fresh mint adds that final burst of freshness. Opt for fresh mint here. 

How to Make this Roasted Beetroot and Chickpea Salad

Making this salad essentially involves roasting the chickpeas and beets whilst making the harissa Greek yogurt. Combine at the end and voila!

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 430F/220C/200C fan/gas 7. If you’re using larger beets, halve or quarter them.
  2. Combine the sumac and cumin in a separate bowl and mix together.
  3. On a very large baking tray (or two smaller ones depending on the size) add the beets and chickpeas, then drizzle over the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the spices.
  4. Roast for 30 minutes or until the edges are crisp.
  5. While the vegetables are cooking, create a tangy yogurt dressing by mixing the lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt with the Greek yogurt. Swirl in the harissa paste and thickly spread the mixture onto a platter or shallow bowl.
  6. Once the beetroot and chickpeas are ready, top the yogurt with the roasted mixture, sprinkle with the red chili flakes and chopped mint and serve.

More Delicious Salads

If you’re on that health kick and want a great salad, check these out below:

Yield: 4

Roasted Beet and Chickpea Salad

Roasted Beet and Chickpea Salad

This roasted beet and chickpea salad is perfect for those who want a hearty yet nutritious salad that's full of protein. It's spiced with a delicious harissa yogurt sauce and other spices and ready in just 40 minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 medium beetroots, halved or quartered depending on size
  • ½ tbsp sumac
  • ½ tbsp ground cumin
  • 14 oz (400g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp tsp lemon zest
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ¾ cup (200g) Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 tsp red chilli flakes
  • Mint leaves, chopped, to serve

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 430F/220C. Halve the beetroots or quarter them if using larger ones. Mix the cumin and sumac together. On a large baking tray, mix the chickpeas and beetroot with the oil. Season and sprinkle the spices over. Mix again. Roast for 30 minutes or until crisp at the edges
  • While the vegetables are cooking, mix the lemon zest and juice and some salt with the yogurt. Swirl the harissa through and add to a bowl. Top with the beetroot and chickpeas, sprinkle with the chili flakes and mint, then serve.

Notes

  • If you're using dry chickpeas, you'll need to soak and cook these a little longer in comparison to canned chickpeas.

    • Nutrition Information

    Yield

    4

    Serving Size

    1
    Amount Per Serving Calories 481Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 2mgSodium 436mgCarbohydrates 45gFiber 6gSugar 14gProtein 15g

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