Mixed Greens Crispy Chickpeas (Printable)

Tender mixed greens paired with crunchy spiced chickpeas for a light, flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Chickpea Croutons

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

08 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, romaine, frisée)
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1/2 cucumber, sliced
11 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 1/4 cup shredded carrots
13 - 1/4 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 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F and prepare for roasting.
02 - Dry chickpeas thoroughly, then toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through until golden and crispy. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - Combine mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots, and radishes in a large bowl.
05 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
06 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
07 - Top the salad with the crispy chickpea croutons just before serving for added texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those crispy chickpeas give you the hearty, crunchy satisfaction you'd usually get from croutons, but they're naturally plant-based and packed with protein.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, which means dinner on your table before you get too hungry to be patient.
  • It's the kind of salad that actually tastes like something, not like you're eating grass—the spiced chickpeas and bright lemon dressing make sure of that.
02 -
  • Timing matters: add the chickpea croutons at the very last second before serving, or they'll absorb moisture and lose that satisfying crunch you went to the trouble of creating.
  • Don't skip drying the chickpeas—I learned this the hard way when my first batch came out chewy instead of crispy, and it taught me that dryness is the foundation of everything that comes next.
  • The dressing works best when you let it sit for a minute after whisking so the flavors settle and mingle before they meet the greens.
03 -
  • Shake the chickpeas on the baking sheet at the halfway mark so they roast evenly and develop that deep golden color that signals maximum crispiness.
  • If your greens are wet from washing, spin them in a salad spinner or pat them dry before building the salad—excess water dilutes the dressing and makes everything limp faster.
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