Sorghum Salad with Harissa Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas

by autumn on January 26, 2014

Sorghum Salad with Harissa Roasted Carrots & Chickpeas || Autumn Makes & Does

Sometimes I joke about the fact that I wouldn’t know what to eat if it weren’t for canned chickpeas, but it’s not entirely a laughing matter. At least once a week, dinner is saved by a can of chickpeas. Admittedly it’s a bit of a rut, but one I don’t mind too much. I really love chickpeas.

Another rut I’m not too worried about is my winter grain salad habit. It’s goes something like this: gluten-free grain + roasted veg + can of beans + preserved lemon = dinner and lunch the next day. Brussels sprouts are often involved, as are broccolli, sweet potatoes, and delicata squash. It’s usually a clean-out-the-crisper kind of party and sometimes the results don’t bear revisiting. However, this iteration–sweet, roasted carrots with chickpeas, harissa, and whole grain sorghum–quickly became a keeper.

Sorghum Salad with Harissa Roasted Carrots & Chickpeas || Autumn Makes & Does

A quick sidenote in support of sorghum: before I knew that eating gluten was making me crazy-sick, I ate a lot of wheat berries. Growing up, my mom bought wheat berries in bulk. Because we lived in a region where a lot of wheat was grown, they were a super-affordable, local food. Since needing to stop eating gluten, I’ve felt like there wasn’t a great gluten-free alternative to wheat berries, which–weirdly–I found myself missing. Whole grain sorghum is definitely the closest thing I’ve found. Although it looks a bit like Isreali couscous, it’s much firmer and chewier, similar to how I remember wheat berries.

I kept this salad basic, without a sauce or garnish because I wanted it to be something you could load up with whatever you have in your fridge, like it is for me. I’d usually eat this with a dollop of greek yogurt if I have it and a big squeeze of sriracha, but it would be really good with a simple tahini sauce or a few crumbles of goat cheese. It’s pretty versatile and is as good warm as it is cold.

sorghum-salad-with-harissa-roasted-carrots-and-chickpeas-2

Sorghum Salad with Harissa Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas
Recipe Type: grain salad
Author: Autumn Giles
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces, about 5 medium, carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 19 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons dried harissa
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 heaping tablespoon (about 2 sections) of preserved lemon, minced
  • 3 cups cooked sorghum
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Put the carrots and chickpeas in a large bowl. Add the harissa, smoked paprika, and olive oil. Stir until the carrots and chickpeas are completely coated with the spices.
  3. Turn the mixture on to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once every 10 minutes.
  4. Put the cooked sorghum in a large bowl with the preserved lemon. Add the roasted carrots and chickpeas and toss to combine.
  5. Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Notes: 

  • Cook the sorghum as indicated on the package. It takes about an hour to cook, so start it first.
  • This recipe was inspired by Nicole Taylor’s Rice and Harissa Chickpeas on Design Sponge.
  • I think dried harissa mixes can really vary in terms of heat. Mine was on the mild side, so adding 2 tablespoons was no problem. You may need to adjust the amount of harissa based on how hot yours is.

Disclosure: I received this sorghum from Bob’s Red Mill free of charge, but my opinions remain my own. 

About 

Autumn Giles is the creator of Autumn Makes & Does and the co-host of the Alphabet Soup Podcast.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar January 27, 2014 at 12:54 am

This salad sounds fabulous!! LOVE this for a weekly lunch…and dinner!

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2 meg January 27, 2014 at 6:49 pm

After seeing your Instagram post yesterday, I made some harissa and tossed it with delicata squash and carrots and roasted them. Served over coconut rice, it was so, so yummy! Thanks for the idea!

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3 autumn February 2, 2014 at 11:46 am

I love that, Meg! It’s such a good spice to have on hand for roasted winter veg because it goes with just about anything 🙂

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