Mixed Greens with Chickpea Croutons

Tender greens combined with spiced crunchy chickpea croutons for a bright, satisfying plant-based dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crispy Chickpea Croutons

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

03 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

04 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin

05 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder

06 - 1/4 tsp salt

07 - 1/4 tsp 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 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

15 - 1 tbsp lemon juice

16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard

17 - 1 tsp maple syrup or honey

18 - 1/2 tsp salt

19 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.

02 - Pat chickpeas dry with a clean towel. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

03 - Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and crispy. Let cool slightly.

04 - In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots, and radishes.

05 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.

06 - Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.

07 - Top the salad with crispy chickpea croutons immediately before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -

The chickpeas stay crunchy even after they hit the greens, which feels like a small miracle.
It's ready in under an hour and tastes expensive enough to impress guests.
You can eat it and feel genuinely full, without that heavy salad guilt.

02 -

Pat those chickpeas dry or they'll steam instead of crisp—I learned this the soggy way.
Add the chickpeas at the very last second, or they'll absorb moisture from the greens and lose their crunch.

03 -