Grilled Caesar Salad

 

Confession: I made this grilled Caesar salad last night without measuring, well, anything, so this recipe is based entirely on guestimations (what else is new?). I could re-test it, but it was too delicious not to share stat.

Creamy, crunchy, and seriously satisfying, this grilled Caesar salad combines crave-worthy flavors and textures with whole food ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. It’s also free from gluten and animal products, making it vegan. I borrowed the idea from @thenakdkitchen, adapting the dressing and adding extra spice to the roasted chickpeas. Happy noshing!

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Grilled Caesar Salad

Vegan

Serves: 2

For the roasted chickpeas:

1 can low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1.5 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp paprika

Dash of chili powder

For the salad:

1 head organic romaine lettuce

1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved

For the dressing:

3 spoonfuls hummus

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 clove garlic, minced

Black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, laying them out on a towel to dry for 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the chickpeas on top once dry. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, paprika, and chili powder, using your hands to coat them evenly.

3. Bake the chickpeas at 425 F for about 30 minutes, or until crispy.

4. While the chickpeas are roasting, wash and dry the romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Slice the romaine in half, lengthwise. Leave the stem of the lettuce on at the bottom to keep the leaves from separating.

5. To make the dressing, combine the hummus, olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper in a bowl. Feel free to adjust the measurements to taste.

6. Grill the romaine for 30-45 seconds on each side, or until you see light grill marks.

7. To serve, place the romaine halves on a plate and drizzle them with the dressing. Toss the tomato halves and crispy chickpeas on top. Add salt to taste.

GRILLED CAESAR SALAD NOTES:

  • I only used about 2/3 of the roasted chickpeas. Save the rest for a savory snack!

  • You don’t actually need to grill the romaine. It gives a nice smoky flavor, but if you don’t have access to a grill, feel free to skip this step and enjoy the greens raw.

 
Recipe, DinnerAnthea LeviComment