Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Cauliflower
Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Cauliflower and Lightened up caesar dressing
If there is one thing about me, it’s that I love a caesar salad and crispy veg moment. In fact, one of my favorite meals, and one we make most Sundays in the fall and winter, is a roast chicken, oven crisped potato wedges and a kale caesar salad. I meeeeaaaan….I’m drooling just thinking about it.
And if we’re out to eat and there is a caesar salad + sweet potato fries situation on the menu, you best believe I am 1000% getting that because it is an elite, ABSOLUTELY ELITE I tell you, combo.
Ok, but here’s the other thing about me. When I make caesar salads at home, I don’t exactly make “real” caesar salad dressing. I know. But hear me out. Because my dressing tastes VERY similar, but it’s much lighter, healthier and even has some protein in it. Meaning I can enjoy my weekly kale caesar and roast chicken meal in a bit more nutritious, yet still very satisfying, way.
Lately, though, I’ve swapped my kale salad for an arugula one and my crispy potatoes for crispy chickpeas and cauliflower, but, of course, still paired with the same dependable lightened up caesar dressing. It’s a combo that is incredibly satisfying and hearty, makes for a filling lunch or the perfect side for dinner paired with a simple piece of salmon, chicken or steak and feels far more decadent than anything with this much nutrition should be allowed to feel. In other words, my kale salad might not be coming back. Oh, and did I mention that it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish to make?! So, uh, yeah, if you’re thinking about new recipes to add into your weekly rotation, I’m gonna go ahead and say that this one is probably most definitely a solid contender to consider.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE LIGHTENED UP CAESAR SALAD DRESSING
Here’s the scoop. There are two tricks to getting the perfect lightened up caesar dressing that doesn’t taste, well, lightened up. First is using two parts Greek yogurt to one part mayonnaise (I like to use vegan mayo but regular works perfectly fine, too) for a rich and creamy, yet tangy, base. The mayonnaise is in place of the traditional use of an egg (since mayonnaise has egg in it it still helps to achieve that egg flavor) and the Greek yogurt allows you to cut down on the amount of mayonnaise you use so that the dressing is still creamy and flavorful, just not as rich and heavy. The second trick is using Worcestershire sauce, which has anchovies in it, to give the dressing it’s classic umami flavor that it normally gets from the anchovies that it’s typically made with.
One other thing, not really a trick per se, more a note and personal preference, but I like to use garlic powder in place of fresh garlic. Personally, I don’t enjoy the spicy bite of raw garlic in a situation like this and I find that garlic powder gives the perfect amount of garlic flavor while also more seamlessly blending through the entire dressing.
As for the rest of the dressing ingredients, I keep them about the same as they are in the OG caesar salad dressing- lemon juice, mustard, salt. That’s it!
AS FOR THE REST OF THE SALAD INGREDIENTS…
Now that we’ve got the (potentially) controversial dressing out of the way, let’s dish on the salad part, shall we? I mentioned up above that I love my caesar salad with a crispy veggie side dish moment, usually a sweet potato or oven fry. But here’s the thing. Really any crispy veg will do. So a lot of times, if I’m in a pinch for a quick weeknight meal, or if I have veggies that need to get used up, this salad is just how I’ll do that. I roast the veggies with just some chili powder to spice them up a bit, but sumac, turmeric or za’atar are also wonderful, too. Feel free to mix in some garlic powder, as well, and a dash of honey if you want a little sticky sweetness.
For the veggies, I especially love using cauliflower because it gets nice and crispy, but broccoli, sweet potatoes or carrots would all work nicely, too. And the chickpeas are a perfect protein-packed way to add crunch in place of croutons. I do still throw on some toasted bread crumbs (because why not?!) but feel free to skip those if you want to keep your salad gluten-free (or use gluten-free breadcrumbs instead). I also throw on some herbs to keep things fresh and even more flavorful (I like using dill or parsley best) and, of course, parmesan cheese because no caesar salad is complete without it.
a fEW NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS
MAKE AHEAD- I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I would not recommend making any part of this salad ahead of time. Of course you can roast the cauliflower and chickpeas ahead of time, but they’ll end up more soggy than crispy. And the dressing just doesn’t taste the same when made ahead. However, while nothing can be made ahead of time, this whole salad really only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
SUBSTITUTIONS- Here are a few riffs you can work with when assembling this salad…
IN PLACE OF THE CAULIFLOWER- try broccoli, sweet potatoes, or carrots or thinly sliced zuchinni
IN PLACE OF CHILI POWDER- try sumac, turmeric or za’atar for different flavor profiles
IN PLACE OF ARUGULA- try fresh spinach, romaine lettuce or little gem lettuce
IN PLACE OF THE BREADCRUMBS- try dukkah
IN PLACE OF THE PARM- try ricotta salata
FOR THE TOASTED BREADCRUMBS- It’s super simple to toast your own breadcrumbs. Just place a pan (I like to use cast iron) over medium high heat. Add your breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, for just a few minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown and fragrant.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS CAESAR SALAD
This salad is super filling and nutrient dense so it can definitely be enjoyed as a meal all on its own, or serve it up as a side dish with grilled or roasted chicken, simple lemony salmony, steak or even shrimp.
Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Cauliflower
serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRISPY CHICKPEAS + CAULIFLOWER
1 medium sized head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can (approximately 15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and patted very dry
Olive oil (can also use avocado oil)
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (use more or less depending on your taste preferences)
Sea salt
FOR THE LIGHTENED UP CAESAR SALAD DRESSING
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (full or low fat is fine)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular or vegan)
1 teaspoon mustard (regular or honey dijon)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
A very generous dash (about 1 1/2-2 tsps) of Worcestershire sauce
A dash or two of hot sauce
Juice of half a lemon
FOR THE SALAD
Arugula
Toasted breadcrumbs (optional)
Fresh dill or parsley, roughly chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
Chili flakes (optional but great if you like a little extra heat)
Grated parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees (FYI, if you have a “roast” option on your oven settings, I like to use that when making this, so feel free to do the same. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, please disregard and know that regular old 425 degrees will do). Spread the cauliflower and chickpeas out evenly on a large baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil (somewhere between 2-3 tablespoons should do the trick), then sprinkle with chili powder and sea salt. Give everything a good toss until it’s evenly coated, then make sure it’s spread back out in an even layer across the baking sheet. Place the tray in the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before adding to the salad.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine all the caesar salad dressing ingredients. Stir until combined and set aside.
Once you’re ready to assemble your salad, it’s pretty simple and straightforward from here. The remaining ingredients are really measured from the heart so pick a serving plate or bowl of choice and use what feels right to you or work with what you have. As a guideline for how I go about assembling this my salad, I’ll use 3-4 giant handfuls of arugula (I think a handful per person if you’re eating it as a side, 2 per person if it’s a main). Then add on the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Drizzle on the dressing, then top with toast breadcrumbs (about 1-2 tablespoons, nothing crazy), a generous handful of fresh chopped herbs (about 1/4 cup), a good sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper, a few chili flakes (if using) and, last but certainly not least, a blanket of grated parmesan cheese. I mean, I like a blanket, but a dusting works, too. You do you.
Give the salad a toss then serve and enjoy!
NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS
MAKE AHEAD- I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I would not recommend making any part of this salad ahead of time. Of course you can roast the cauliflower and chickpeas ahead of time, but they’ll end up more soggy than crispy. And the dressing just doesn’t taste the same when made ahead. However, while nothing can be made ahead of time, this whole salad really only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
SUBSTITUTIONS- Here are a few riffs you can work with when assembling this salad…
CAULIFLOWER- try broccoli, sweet potatoes, or carrots or thinly sliced zuchinni instead
CHILI POWDER- try sumac, turmeric or za’atar for different flavor profiles
ARUGULA- try fresh spinach, romaine lettuce or little gem lettuce instead
BREADCRUMBS- try dukkah instead
PARM- try ricotta salata instead
A NOTE ON TOASTED BREADCRUMBS- It’s super simple to toast your own breadcrumbs. Just place a pan (I like to use cast iron) over medium high heat. Add your breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, for just a few minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown and become really fragrant.
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ITEMS + INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
