Mixed Greens Chickpea Croutons (Printable)

Tender mixed greens paired with crunchy spiced chickpeas create a vibrant and satisfying plant-based dish.

# What you need:

→ Crispy Chickpea Croutons

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
05 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

08 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, romaine, frisée)
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - ½ cucumber, sliced
11 - ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
12 - ¼ cup shredded carrots
13 - ¼ cup radishes, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
18 - ½ teaspoon salt
19 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chickpeas dry with a clean towel and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
02 - Spread chickpeas evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, mix together salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots, and radishes.
04 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine all ingredients evenly.
06 - Top the dressed salad with the crispy chickpea croutons just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those chickpeas turn into something you'll actually crave, not just tolerate on a plate.
  • It's ready in 40 minutes and tastes like you've been a vegetarian your whole life.
  • Vegan and gluten-free without any of that diet-food sadness that usually comes with it.
02 -
  • Drying those chickpeas is the entire difference between croutons and sad, mealy chickpeas—don't skip it even though it feels fussy.
  • Add the croutons at the last possible moment; a salad that sits with them gets soggy, and soggy croutons are just chickpeas again.
  • Taste your dressing before it touches the salad, because seasoning it in the bowl is harder to fix.
03 -
  • Chill your greens before building the salad; a cold salad tastes fresher and crispier than a room-temperature one.
  • Slice your red onion and let it sit in a little lemon juice for five minutes while the chickpeas roast—it takes the edge off the sharpness and tastes friendlier.
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