Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Slaw with Cucumber Salad

I never really shy away from sharing the inspiration behind a recipe, even if it’s not totally connected to it at all. And the inspo for this creamy, spicy, plant-based chickpea carrot slaw is that I was in Disney World (lol) and in the Star Wars section of the park they have this thing called the Sunrise Ronto Wrap, and in that wrap there is a spicy chickpea and carrot slaw, and I don’t kid around when I say it was so amazing that it CHANGED me. I was quickly in a rush to recreate it, and I’m so happy I did. Because while it started as a breakfast wrap, this Spiced Chickpea and Carrot Slaw makes a phenomenal salad, grain bowl, or even sandwich.

Plus, I love that it’s good for meal prep, great for getting your vegetables throughout the week, and completely plant-based. The ingredient list repeats a few staples, so it should be easy to whip up with what you have in your pantry. I love the balance of flavors, and I love the nutritional punch it gives, too.

Why you should make this recipe

I always start my blog posts with my pitch – this recipe is so good for so many reasons, but these are just my favorites:

• A spicy, rich slaw balances perfectly with a cool, crisp salad – we love vegetables here, but I never want eating them to feel like a chore, you know? This salad balances hearty with crisp, where if you have too much of either, it could make the salad feel like a schlep. I like being able to break it up and add bites of each!
• You can meal prep it, and it gets better as it sits! The carrot slaw especially. It builds in flavor and the dressing only melds more with the carrots as you store it in the fridge.
• This gives you all the nutrients of raw vegetables, but the flavor will make you think otherwise – sometimes a bowl of raw vegetables doesn’t feel like a “hearty” enough meal to me. But with a mixture of carrots, cucumber and aromatics, this easily makes me feel like I’m getting a really filling, balanced dinner.

Ingredients you will need for this carrot and chickpea slaw bowl

For the spiced chickpea carrot slaw

• 300 grams carrots, usually 3/4 of a grocery bag
• 1 small red onion
• 1 medium jalapeño
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use half if using Morton’s
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup cool water
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 (13.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For the cucumber tahini salad

• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use half if using Morton’s
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 Persian cucumbers
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

To serve (but mix and match this as you’d like!)

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup feta, for topping

Ingredient substitutions

I love a substitution list – it makes things easier on both you and me. Here are a few choices:

• Carrots: you can use any crispy, crunchy vegetable that feels right. I love kohlrabi, parsnips, even more cucumber! Celery is also nice if you’re into that.
• Red onion: swap for yellow onion or shallots.
• Jalapeño: sub this for two bird’s eye chilies or one habanero, you can also swap in 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• Garlic: Feel free to omit this or just add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Extra virgin olive oil: any cooking oil is suitable, avocado oil is a great sub!
• Smoked paprika: sub for sweet paprika or chili powder!
• Sumac: sub with Aleppo pepper, harissa powder, or half the amount of red pepper flakes.
• Tomato paste: sub with harissa paste or 1/4 cup of a canned tomato purée.
• Tahini: sub with almond butter (the drizzly kind).
• Chickpeas: any cooked, canned bean can sub in here!
• Lemon juice: white wine vinegar is a great sub.
• Cucumbers: try celery or sweet bell peppers!
• Herbs: any tender herb you like, like parsley, chives, or basil, can be a sub!

How to make the carrot and chickpea slaw

1. Use either a julienne-style peeler, box grater, or food processor to cut the carrots into slivers. Set aside.
2. Thinly slice the red onion, deseed and thinly slice the jalapeño, grate three garlic cloves.
3. Set a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the red onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, for 8-9 minutes or until deeply softened.
4. Add 1 teaspoon each of smoked paprika, sumac and salt, then stir to combine. Grate in the garlic cloves. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and cook it down in the pan for 2-3 minutes or until a shade darker in color. Make sure it’s well mixed with the other ingredients.
5. From here add 1 tablespoon of tahini and 1/2 cup of cool water. Reduce the heat so the sauce is barely a simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce looks rich and creamy. Taste and season with salt.
6. Pour this sauce over the carrots and add the chickpeas. Mix into a creamy slaw and set aside.

How to make the cucumber salad and bring this recipe all together

Into a medium bowl, grate three garlic cloves, add three tablespoons of tahini, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and mix into a dressing.

Thinly slice the cucumbers and add them to the bowl. Tear in the mint leaves and cilantro and mix. Taste the salad and add more salt or lemon juice as preferred.

Serve in bowls with brown rice and a crumbling of feta on top.

Storage + meal prep recommendations

To store this recipe, I suggest mixing the carrot slaw together fully. To preserve peak freshness with the cucumber salad, I suggest mixing the dressing only when you plan to eat. BUT if that’s too much work, mixing it with the dressing beforehand is no big deal.

To store in the fridge: Keep all components of the recipe separate (ie. the rice, the carrot slaw, and the cucumber salad), combine them when you build your bowl at meal time. They will all keep in the fridge for up to four days.

This recipe doesn’t freeze well, so I recommend enjoying it fresh.

Looking for similar recipes?

And that’s everything for this Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Slaw!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3