Health Moroccan Salad Recipe: Gut-Healthy Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa

This is a health moroccan salad recipe, the kind that sits at the heart of the Tangier table.

How to make this health moroccan salad recipe

This Moroccan health moroccan salad recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook. The flavor comes from Tangier, where Chef Hassan has made it the same way for years. The Mediterranean diet pattern this dish belongs to was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, with Tangier as one of its emblematic communities.

Ingredients for moroccan chickpea and quinoa salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method, the Tangier way

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water for about 1 minute. Place it in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. While the quinoa cooks, prepare the vegetables by dicing the bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion. Halve the olives.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, cumin, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
5. Once the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, olives, and parsley to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
7. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tips from Chef Hassan

The traditional way in Tangier is to keep it simple. Researchers behind the PREDIMED trial found that the health moroccan salad recipe pattern, anchored in olive oil and short ingredient lists, cuts cardiovascular risk roughly 30%. Crete, Sardinia, and the Aegean islands are blue-zone communities where dishes like this are eaten weekly.

Serving, storage, and what to drink

Serves 4. Best the day it’s made. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days. For more Moroccan recipes see our salads and recipes sections, or pair it with a glass of regional wine from Crete or Sicily.

The Mediterranean diet pattern this dish belongs to was recognized by UNESCO (2010) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of communities including Crete, Sicily, and Andalusia. The evidence base comes from the PREDIMED trial and earlier work at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.