Description
This Crispy Chickpea Caesar is a lighter vegetarian take on the classic Caesar salad, featuring crunchy roasted chickpeas, homemade croutons, crisp romaine lettuce, and a creamy parmesan dressing. It's packed with texture, flavor, and protein for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
80g bread, torn into pieces
140g romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
100g Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
25g parmesan, finely grated
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil for roasting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
- Place the torn bread pieces on one side of a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt.
- Pat the chickpeas dry and place them on the other side of the tray. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Bake the croutons for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp. Continue roasting the chickpeas for about 20 minutes until crunchy.
- Whisk together the Greek yoghurt, crushed garlic, grated parmesan, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper to make the dressing.
- Add the chopped romaine lettuce to a large serving bowl and top with the roasted chickpeas and croutons.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and finish with the grated parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
Notes
Add sliced avocado for extra creaminess and healthy fats.
For more protein, add boiled eggs or grilled tofu.
Kale can be used instead of romaine lettuce for a heartier salad.
Add red pepper flakes or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for extra flavor.
Store dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Store roasted chickpeas and croutons separately for best texture.
The assembled salad is best served immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
