Chickpea Caesar Salad

This is a fun twist on the traditional Caesar salad with chickpea croutons and chickpeas in the dressing! Chickpeas add protein & fibre to this delicious dish.

Course Cook with Meg recipes, Salad

Key Ingredient Chickpeas

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 28

Total Time 43

Servings servings

Calories 213

Ingredients

Chickpea Croutons

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed (see notes)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) onion powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Dressing

1/2 cup (125 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed (see notes)
1/4 cup (60 mL) mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder or 1 clove minced
2 Tbsp (30 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce (see notes)
water or oil, optional

Salad

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed & torn or chopped
grated Parmesan cheese, as desired
bacon bits, optional

Instructions

Chickpea Croutons

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels; removing excess moisture to help them crisp up. If you have time, let them air dry at least 30 minutes or longer for extra crispy chickpeas.
In a bowl, toss chickpeas with oil. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, if using and stir until the chickpeas are all coated with the spices and cheese.
Spread chickpeas in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crispy.
Let them cool before adding to the salad. They will crisp more as they sit.

Salad Dressing

In a bowl with a potato masher or a fork (or a food processor) mash or blend the chickpeas until mostly smooth but still a little textured (think hummus-ish).
Stir in mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Parmesan cheese, oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk or blend until creamy. Taste and add more lemon juice (up to 1 Tbsp/15 mL) if you want a more lemony dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Salad Assembly

Wash and dry your romaine lettuce, and either tear it or chop it.
Toss lettuce with the dressing then top with chickpea croutons, additional Parmesan cheese and bacon, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

A 19 oz (540 mL) can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed will yield 2 cups (500 mL). This is enough to make the croutons and the dressing!
Store extra roasted chickpeas in an open container at room temperature for 1–2 days. They’re awesome on soups or as a snack straight from the tray.
Make this salad vegetarian! Substitute the Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce in the dressing and skip the bacon topping.

Nutrition