There is always – and I mean always – a bag of carrots in the back of my veggie drawer threatening to go to waste. It's not because I don't love carrots. I do! I put them in everything, and maybe I go a little overboard in making sure I always have them on hand. The recipe below is an easy way to use up a bunch of them in one satisfying, belly-filling dish.
Carrots and chickpeas are a perfect match, especially when you bridge them with heady spices such as paprika, cinnamon and cumin. This brings out the carrots’ sweetness by roasting them in a hot oven basted with a spiced olive oil. Tossed together with chickpeas, spinach leaves and a generous squeeze of lemon, it makes a satisfying salad or side dish.
Roasted Carrot Salad with Chickpeas
6
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into half-inch pieces
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups baby spinach leaves
Juice of half a lemon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the carrots and onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, paprika, cinnamon, cumin and salt until well-combined.
Pour half of the mixture over the carrots and onion in the bowl and toss to coat.
Transfer the vegetables to the baking sheet, spreading them out in an even layer.
Roast for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, in the mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas and add the remaining oil and spice mixture. Once the vegetables have cooled, add them to the chickpeas and toss to coat.
Add the spinach leaves, squeeze the lemon half over the top,and toss again.
Serve immediately.