Want a Caesar salad that's packed with protein as well as flavor? This Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad is made with golden roasted chickpeas, a Greek yogurt based Caesar dressing, and shaved Parmesan cheese. It's a delicious twist on Caesar salad that's satisfying without being too heavy.
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Spring is the perfect time for a good refresh. Refresh the yard. Refresh your wardrobe. Refresh your home. Refresh your eating habits. I'm currently in the midst of doing the latter. Last week, I finally had enough of feeling - well, like crap. I was sick of the heavy feeling in my gut and the lack of energy that I felt (that 2-3PM slump was real). So I stocked the kitchen with healthier options and did a bit of meal prepping.
Part of that meal prep was chopping up a bunch of Romaine lettuce to keep in the fridge for salads. I decided to make a protein-packed Caesar salad using roasted chickpeas as my main source of protein (and doubled as the salad's croutons). I also made a homemade Caesar dressing using Greek yogurt instead of mayo to lighten things up and add even more protein to the salad.
This salad totally satisfied my craving for a flavorful Caesar salad. It's totally lunch-worthy and, despite it's lighter ingredients, kept me pleasantly full. Plus, it's easy to make. You could roast the chickpeas and make the homemade dressing ahead of time. This salad is a good option for meal prepping, too.
Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad
If you aren't a big fan of chickpeas, you could always swap in some grilled chicken or even shrimp might be nice. But I really enjoyed this high protein version of a Caesar salad. The combo of creamy and crunchy textures is there and the flavor is pretty much on point!
Technically, you don't have to roast your chickpeas. But I like the added crunch and flavor roasting gives them.
So I tossed a can of chickpeas with olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, and salt and pepper. Then, I spread them out on a baking sheet and roasted them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, giving the baking sheet a little shake halfway through.
While the chickpeas were roasting, I worked on my dressing. In a small mixing bowl, I added Greek yogurt, a little olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk it all together until it's nice and creamy and incorporated.
Once the chickpeas were done, I assembled the salad. In a large bowl, I added chopped Romaine lettuce. I also added a little of the homemade Caesar dressing and tossed it with the lettuce to coat everything.
Then, I added the chickpeas and shaved Parmesan cheese on top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss just before serving. Serve the salad immediately with extra dressing and shaved Parmesan cheese on the side.
Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad
Equipment
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 small mixing bowl
Ingredients
To roast the chickpeas:
- 1-15 oz. can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing and salad:
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic minced or grated
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with 1 tsp. olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, and salt and pepper.
- Spread chickpeas onto the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper together.
- Place lettuce in a large salad bowl. Add 1/4 cup homemade dressing and toss to coat.
- Add roasted chickpeas and shaved Parmesan cheese on top. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Serve salad immediately with extra dressing and shaved Parmesan cheese on the side, if desired.
Notes
Want some more Caesar salad inspired recipes? Try this Warm Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad or this Kale Caesar Pasta Salad. Both of these recipes are also good for meal prep and make delicious side salads.
Did you make this Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
