We have to talk about these crispy chickpea croutons.
You are going to want to make a double batch and eat them by the handful they are that good. I was going make our delicious and one of my ‘go-to’ salads the other night – our curry roasted squash and chickpea salad with an addictive tahini dressing, but I was craving a caesar salad. And no, I am not expecting again. Just sometimes you want to ditch the old vinaigrette and load up a salad with a creamy dressing and boat loads of cheese.
But, being a “healthy” eating blog and all, I swapped the usual dressing for this bright and lemony version, kept the cheese, because cheese, and created these addictive crunchy chickpeas in lieu of the usual crouton toppers. Not that I have anything againts those mind you, and I do love our other kale caesar version, but with a can of chickpeas staring me in the face I wanted something different.
Can we talk also talk about my mini food processor? I love it and highly recommend it for whirling up small batch recipes, like this dressing. It saves you from lugging out and cleaning the big gun.
Back to the chickpeas – make them! And this salad!
We had it topped with a piece of simple olive oil and salt and pepper roasted salmon, but this salad would stand alone as a delicious lunch or turn it into more of a substantial dinner with a some grilled chicken, steak, or salmon.
A craving for the classic caesar? Give this updated version a whirl!
Dara
Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons
Serves | 4-6 |
Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Salad |
Website | Adapted From Mountain Mama Cooks |
Ingredients
- 1 large head kale (stems removed, leaves shredded)
- 1/2 Pint grape tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 Tsp olive oil
- 1/2 Tsp salt
- 1/4 Tsp pepper
- 1/4 Tsp garlic powder
- grated parmesan cheese (to garnish salad)
Dressing
- 1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tsp worschershire sauce
- 1 Tsp dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 Tbsp water
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Note
While this salad is great on it's own, turn it into more of a substantial meal by topping it with a piece of grilled chicken or salmon. The heartiness of the kale stands up to the dressing, making leftovers just as delicious the next day.
Directions
1. | Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place chickpeas on a parchment lined baking sheet. |
2. | Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to chickpeas and toss to evenly coat. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until browned and starting to get crispy. Set aside. |
3. | Place kale and tomatoes in a large bowl. Top with chickpeas and dressing and toss to evenly coat. Top with additional parmesan cheese before serving. |
Dressing | |
4. | Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined. Taste and add salt and pepper. If dressing is too thick, add a little bit more water. |
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