Canada's food guide
Chickpea and carrot salad
This flavourful, colourful salad can be enjoyed any time of year. It's sure to be an instant hit at any potluck or picnic. Pack the salad and dressing separately, and mix when ready to serve.
Prep time
10 min
Cook time
0 min
Servings
6
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber, sliced
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) chopped fresh dill or 2 mL (½ tsp) dried dill weed
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 can (540 mL/19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 500 mL (1 pint) grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 60 mL (¼ cup) chopped fresh basil
- 45 mL (3 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) basil pesto
- 10 mL (2 tsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 mL (¼ tsp) ground pepper
Directions
- In a deep 1.5 L (6 cup) bowl, toss cucumber with dill and spread out over bottom of the bowl. Layer with carrots, chickpeas and tomatoes. Sprinkle basil over top. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, pesto, oil, garlic and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.
- Just before serving, drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine and coat.
Learn about food safety.
Recipe developed by Emily Richards, P.H. Ec. for Health Canada and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Tips
- Little chefs can help assemble the layers of vegetables for this salad. Why not mix salad dressing ingredients too?
- Switch up the legumes. Replace chickpeas with kidney or black beans.
- Mix it up. Experiment with different vegetables. Ask your family to choose their favourite ones.
- Make this salad ahead of time, and you'll have a satisfying lunch filled with protein and fibre.
