crispy chickpea, kale, and sundried tomato caesar salad
Tallying up the healthy recipes to two thus far in the new year with a lean, mean, green, crunchy salad machine.
Clearly, Caesar salads are my schtick to make on FMG. We’ve tried out a Greek Salmon and a Hot Honey Blackened Shrimp, and of course nibbled on Everything Caesar Baked Crackers over the holidays, and now we’ve this delectable vegetarian cousin to introduce to the family.
I sure hope the others accept his quirks. I worked really hard on his makeup.
I eat salads most afternoons with my lunches. Often, that meal consists of leftovers in general along with some hit of protein or another (I’m loving these salmon burgers, specifically) and a big pile of greens dressed as simply or as elaborately as I feel like doing.
When I’ve developed a salad for the site, I throw whatever’s left on my midday plate. A simple way to get in some nutrients without thinking too hard, I believe, and kale is a super duper green with super duper powers. Not medical advice. This riff on Caesar makes wonderful next-day noms, light enough as a side and filling enough as a main. Take your pick. Choose wisely.
Hot Chick(peas)
Two main prep steps make up this salad: roasting chickpeas and whipping up the tangy tahini pesto parmesan dressing. Otherwise, a bit of chopping, tossing, and assembly. Easier than Ikea furniture.
Drain the chickpeas, rinse, and dry well. Line a baking sheet with parchment and, on top, toss the chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic and onion powders, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until crisped, tossing the chickpeas once halfway through. As the chickpeas cool, they’ll continue to crisp up.
TeeHee Tahini
While the chickpeas roast, prep the dressing. I like to give it a bit of time to hang out so the varied but complimentary flavors meld together nicely, but if you’re in a rush, it’ll be tasty without much sitting time.
I recommend a food processor for most dressing prep, but you can certainly do this by hand so long as you mince up the garlic cloves very finely. In either case, blitz or whisk up tahini, pesto, Greek yogurt, garlic cloves, lemon juice, dijon mustard, fresh grated parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Thin out the dressing with a bit of water as needed. I used maybe two tablespoons to achieve the texture for which I hoped.
The tahini adds a roasted, nutty background note to the floral and herbaceous pesto-based dressing. I don’t think Caesar is Caesar sans anchovy paste, but you can try it with a vegan Worcestershire sauce if you don’t like tubed and pureed seafood. And of course, parmesan is imperative for that down-home Caesar taste I used to crave with drooling lips whenever we visited Red Lobster for special occasion dinners.
The Finish Line
All components created, all that’s left is putting the salad together.
I find that kale stands up very well even for a few days when a bit of dressing is incorporated into the leaves. So whether you’re serving the salad straightaway or wrapping it up for a bit, massage it as well as some fresh parsley with a couple tablespoons of the dressing to soften the toughness and mellow the bitterness.
Next, pile on some sundried tomatoes and sliced avocado. Sprinkle the chickpeas and grated fresh parmesan. Pour the rest of the dressing in a small bowl and serve alongside the salad for anyone who needs more. Aka, me. Give it all to me.
This salad pairs especially well with grilled shrimp or chicken as a protein accompaniment, if the chickpeas aren’t quite enough to fill the belly. The Healthy Italian Pesto Gnocchi Soup is a great way to use any leftover pesto and works great as an extra side dish. Add some Herb Garlic Butter Popovers for an extra carb, and bam. Dinner.
Oh, and if you’re hankering for dessert, stir some tahini into a batch of Salted Bourbon Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies. You are damn welcome.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
crispy chickpea, kale, and sundried tomato caesar salad
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4-6 cups kale, chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 avocado, quartered
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
pesto tahini caesar dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup pesto, homemade or storebought
- 2 tbsp plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, for juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan, grated
- water, to thin, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry the chickpeas with paper towels. On the baking sheet, toss with olive oil, paprika, oregano, garlic, onion, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spread onto a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool on the baking sheet – they will continue to crisp up as they cool.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini, pesto, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic cloves, anchovies, dijon, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until thinned to your desired consistency.
- In a large bowl or serving platter, toss the kale and parsley with 2-3 tablespoons of the pesto caesar dressing until the kale darkens and softens. Arrange avocado slices and sundried tomatoes onto the greens. Sprinkle the parmesan and chickpeas. Serve salad with remaining dressing and your favorite protein.
