Harissa chickpea, avocado and rocket salad pot
A vibrant, portable salad pot ready in 15 minutes — smoky harissa chickpeas, ripe avocado and peppery rocket for a filling work lunch.
You want something speedy, portable and not soul-destroyingly boring — here’s a bright salad pot that fits the bill. Smoky harissa lifts ordinary tinned chickpeas into something proper, and avocado keeps it satisfying.
No cooking required, no soggy leaves if you layer it right, and it’s brilliant for making the night before if you’re running late. Toss and go at lunchtime for a filling work lunch that still feels a little bit special.
Ingredients
- 200 g tinned chickpeas — drained weight
- 1 avocado — ripe but firm
- 150 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1 red pepper — deseeded and diced
- 100 g cucumber — diced
- 40 g red onion — about 1/4 small, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon — juice only
- 10 ml olive oil
- 15 g harissa paste — about 1 tbsp; adjust for heat
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml sea salt
- 0 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 50 g rocket
Equipment
- mason jar or airtight lunch box
Instructions
Drain the tinned chickpeas in a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear; allow to drain for 30 seconds.
Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together harissa paste, olive oil, the juice of half the lemon, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the drained chickpeas and toss thoroughly so every chickpea is coated.
Prepare the veg: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red pepper and cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, roughly chop the fresh coriander and slice the avocado; immediately toss the avocado with the remaining lemon juice to slow browning.
Assemble the pot or lunch box: place the rocket as the base, add the dressed chickpeas, then scatter the tomatoes, pepper, cucumber and red onion. Top with the avocado and extra coriander.
Store and serve: chill in the fridge until needed. Eat within 24 hours; if making ahead for longer, keep the dressed chickpeas separate and add them at lunchtime.
Tips
- If making the night before, keep the dressed chickpeas separate from the rocket and assemble at work to preserve texture.
- Adjust harissa to taste — use half the amount if you’re unsure, as jars vary in heat.
- Toss avocado slices in a little lemon juice immediately after slicing to keep them green.
- Use a wide-necked mason jar or shallow lunch box for easiest eating; deep jars can squash the avocado.
- To add extra crunch, sprinkle 10–15 g of toasted pumpkin seeds on top just before eating.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → 240 g cooked dried chickpeas (home-cooked or batch-cooked)
Stays closeavocado → 100 g roasted sweet potato cubes
Noticeably differentharissa paste → 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp tomato purée and a pinch of cayenne
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 815
- Calories
- 27 g
- Protein
- 93 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Assembled in one container keep it for up to 24 hours. If you separate the dressed chickpeas and add them later, the veg will stay fresher for 48 hours.
Can I add more protein like chicken or tuna?
Yes — 100 g cooked chicken breast or a small tin of tuna folded in are good options. That changes the dish from vegan to pescatarian or omnivore.
Is this gluten-free?
Yes — the recipe is naturally gluten-free provided your harissa and tinned chickpeas are labelled gluten-free.
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