Tahini Noodle Salad with Carrots & Chickpeas Recipe

This healthy noodle salad is one of my favorite lunch recipes. Tossed in a tangy, nutty sauce, it's filled with crispy chickpeas & lots of veggies.

Today, I’m taking a break from soup season (although I do have some good ones in the works!), because it’s been about 95 degrees lately and a big, cold noodle salad just sounded good to me. This bowl is full of whole grain noodles and crunchy veggies that are all tossed in a deliciously creamy, nutty tahini sauce.

In an effort to feel some “fall spirit,” I roasted chickpeas and carrots and tossed those in too. Cooked carrots haven’t always been our thing – the trick is to roast them until they’re slightly tender but still have some bite (just don’t let them get mushy!). If you’re still not convinced, roasted broccoli or cauliflower would be delicious here instead. This noodle salad recipe is very flexible, so you should use whatever vegetables you like.

A creamy, flavorful sauce is the key to not-boring noodles. But sometimes I get tired of breaking out the blender or food processor, so you can simply stir together this tangy tahini sauce.

If you eat this noodle salad for dinner, don’t forget to pack up the leftovers (if there are any!) for lunch the next day. These noodles were delicious on day two.

Let me know how this noodle salad turns out for you in the comments! If you like it, check out this kale salad, this noodle bowl, or this list of my favorite lunch recipes.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Tahini Noodle Salad with Roasted Carrots & Chickpeas

This tahini noodle salad is easy to put together - just whisk up the sauce and toss it with noodles, chickpeas, and roasted & raw veggies. A great recipe to pack for lunch!

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Main dish

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

3 medium carrots, chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
6 ounces whole wheat, brown rice, or soba noodles
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
6 radishes, thinly sliced
handful of baby greens (arugula, spinach, or similar)
1 tablespoon hemp seeds or sesame seeds
lime slices, for serving
sea salt

sauce:

1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon sriracha
2 tablespoons warm water, more as needed
¼ teaspoon honey* (optional)
sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the carrots and chickpeas on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender but still have a bite.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, peanut butter, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, rice vinegar, sriracha, water, and a pinch of salt. Taste and if it’s a little bitter, add the honey, if desired. Season to taste with more salt or sriracha. If necessary, add more water until the sauce is a drizzle-able consistency.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
In a large bowl, toss the noodles with a generous scoop of the sauce. Add the cucumber, radishes, greens, carrots, chickpeas, and hemp seeds and toss with the rest of the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with lime slices on the side.

Notes

*Vegan option: use agave or a pinch of sugar instead of the honey.