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roasted chickpea caesar salad with avocado and croutons in a white bowl.

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Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad

Recipe by Danielle

Upgrade a classic with this Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad! The garlic roasted chickpeas are the perfect compliment to the zippy homemade Caesar dressing. If you like Caesar salad, this crispy roasted chickpea version is a must-try!

  • Total Time50 minutes
  • Yield4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the roasted chickpeas: 

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Caesar dressing (see notes for vegan version):

  • 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 6 anchovy fillets packed in oil
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • fine sea salt, to taste

For the salad:

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup freshly shredded or shaved parmesan cheese
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
  • batch of air fryer croutons (optional)

Instructions

  1. Roast the chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a strainer. Dry them well and use a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove any stray skins that come loose as well. Pour onto a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper for easy clean up. Toss chickpeas with oil, garlic powder, and salt, then spread in a single layer across the pan. Roast for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy, stirring halfway through for even cooking.
  2. Make the dressing: Use a mini food processor or stick immersion blender to blitz the dressing. Add the parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and anchovy fillets to the blender or food processor and begin to blitz. Gradually drizzle in the oil until everything comes together. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin it out if you prefer. Season to taste with salt, if needed (the anchovies and parmesan can be quite salty so you may not need more salt).
  3. Serve or meal prep: Serve immediately by tossing everything together for a large salad, or dividing the ingredients into individual bowls and topping with sliced avocado, croutons, or grilled chicken.
    If you’re planning to enjoy this salad later, you’ll want to keep everything separated to preserve freshness and keep the chickpeas crunchy. Store everything but the chickpeas in airtight containers in the fridge. Keep the chickpeas on the counter, not sealed all the way, or they’ll get soft overnight.

    To meal prep this meal into four servings:

      • divide the shredded lettuce between four containers, and top with the parmesan shavings

      • divide the dressing between four small dressing pots, and place one in each container before securing the lid

      • to keep the chickpeas crispy, it is best to give them some air during storage. Divide the chickpeas between four separate pots but don’t close them all the way.

Equipment

(affiliate link!)

Notes

Mayonnaise: Depending on the type and brand of mayonnaise you use, the dressing may split a little, but it doesn’t matter or impact the taste once it is tossed with the lettuce. Japanese-style Kewpie dressing emulsifies well, and low fat or lighter mayonnaise will be more likely to split.

Vegan Caesar Dressing Option: Combine 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise, 1 TB extra virgin olive oil, 1 TB fresh lemon juice (half a lemon), 1/2 tsp finely chopped capers, 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp kosher/sea salt and 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal (includes 1/2 avocado per portion, no croutons).

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 575
  • Fat: 36g
  • Carbohydrates: 47g
  • Fiber: 14g
  • Protein: 21g

Find it online: https://projectmealplan.com/roasted-chickpea-caesar-salad/