Craving something fresh, healthy, and delicious? My Roasted Chickpea Salad is not just packed with nutritious ingredients, it’s dreamy, bright, and oh-so cravable! Made with crispy chickpeas to fill you up, a fresh tahini green goddess dressing, avocado, tomatoes, lots of feta, all piled over mixed greens.
Sometimes I get a hankering for salad, and this is exactly why. I mean, doesn’t that look like a damn good meal? I like to have variety and balance in my diet. That doesn’t mean I ever skip out on flavor. My goal is to make every meal delicious no matter the category! Salad is no exception.
We have my favorite salad toppings: cherry tomatoes, fresh avocado, and the best one, feta cheese. I’ll be happy with these three ingredients on their own, to be honest. Very aptly named, this green goddess dressing is absolutely to-die-for. We ended up saving a little bit to try out in different meals and, let me tell you, it was delicious with everything. EVERYTHING!
Ingredients
Click “Jump to the Recipe” at the top of the page or keep scrolling down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions. Below I have extra information and substitutes for ingredients, as well as FAQ and pro tips for the recipe.
- Chickpeas – Make sure to drain and thoroughly rinse your chickpeas before roasting. If you have
- Olive oil – For roasting. Other types you can use are vegetable, canola, avocado, grapeseed, safflower, or sunflower.
- Moroccan seasoning – Or any other seasoning you like best! Cajun, Italian, chili, jerk, Mediterranean, ranch, taco/fajita. You can even keep it simple with just salt & pepper or lemon pepper.
- Tahini – Make sure to grab regular, plain tahini and not a tahini sauce. Tahini is sesame seeds ground down with olive until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Yogurt – I used regular yogurt. You can use Greek yogurt, but I find it’s a bit too thick for the dressing.
- Lemon juice – Use more or less as you like.
- Herbs – Soft, leafy, green herbs. I used chives, mint, basil, cilantro, and parsley. Other types you can use: dill, tarragon, marjoram, or oregano. Use as many or as few types of herbs you have handy! Just make sure it equals a packed 1/2 cup.
- Garlic – I used 1 fresh clove. You can use jarred, roasted, or even some garlic powder instead.
- Salt – To taste.
- Mixed greens – If you aren’t a fan of mixed greens, you can use romaine lettuce, red leaf, spinach, arugula, butter/ Boston lettuce, or kale.
- Avocado – I cubed mine but you can slice yours.
- Cherry tomatoes – You can use any other type of tomato if you prefer!
- Feta – Halloumi, queso fresco, or cotija are all great substitutes.
How to make roasted chickpea salad
- Roast: Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and Moroccan seasoning. Spread them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Toss the chickpeas every 5-10 minutes for even browning.
- Dressing: Add the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and uniform in color. If needed, add 1-2 tbsp water to thin it out.
- Finish: Toss the mixed greens with the prepared dressing. Top with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and serve.
Tips for the best roasted chickpea salad
- Take the pan out of the oven and toss the chickpeas a few times as they roast. This will make them even and beautifully browned.
- Dress the greens before adding any of the mix-ins. The toppings always end up on the bottom of the bowl and are difficult to get when everything is tossed together.
- Drizzle a bit of extra dressing over the top so everything gets a coat.
- Serving a crowd? Leave the toppings on the side so everyone can customize to their preference.
FAQ
Absolutely! You’ll have to prep the chickpeas before getting started, so make sure to keep the extra time in mind.
Step 1: Soak
First option: Place the chickpeas in a large bowl covered with plenty of water for 8 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse. OR Second option: Add the chickpeas to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and let the chickpeas sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
Step 2: Cook
Add the chickpeas to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 hours until the chickpeas are tender. Drain immediately and let them cool down before getting started with this recipe.
To save yourself some time, roast the chickpeas and prepare the dressing ahead.
Store the chickpeas in a bowl lightly covered with a sheet of paper towel at room temperature to retain crispiness. Store the dressing covered in the fridge. Let the dressing warm up to room temperature before tossing and serving.
Also known as Ras el Hanout, there are many renditions to this blend. It, traditionally, has a mole-esque mass of ingredients to create the depth of flavor, but you can make a simple version at home.
This is what I used:
Cumin, 1/2 tsp
Paprika, 1/2 tsp
Salt, 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp
Ginger, 1/4 tsp
Coriander, 1/4 tsp
Allspice, 1/8 tsp
Use any of your favorite mix-ins! Onion, corn, radish, cucumber, pomegranate, olives, nuts, dried fruit; whatever you can think of.
How to store leftovers
The dressing will last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The chickpeas will last 4-5 days at room temperature. Keep in mind, chickpeas are a bit of a hassle to keep crisp. They soak up any and all moisture in the air even in dry climates! If you find them beginning to soften, pop them into a 400F oven for 5-10 minutes until they’re crisp again.
Loving this simple, plant-based recipe? Try these:
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Roasted Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 15 oz chickpeas one can, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Moroccan seasoning* or any type of seasoning you like
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt regular
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup leafy herbs (packed 1/2 cup) such as chives, cilantro, parsley, mint, basil, or tarragon
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 5 oz mixed greens
- 1/2 cup avocado cubed
- 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and Moroccan seasoning. Spread them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Toss the chickpeas every 5-10 minutes for even browning.
- Add the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and uniform in color. If needed, add 1-2 tbsp water to thin it out.
- Toss the mixed greens with the prepared dressing. Top with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and serve.
Notes
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/8 tsp allspice
Wow. I just made this. One of the best things I have ever tasted.
Randi you are the BEST! Thank you!
Delicious and so simple! An ideal mix of flavors!