Pistachio Green Goddess Salad (Printable Version)

Crisp romaine and spinach with creamy pistachio herb dressing, crispy chickpeas, and fresh avocado

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
02 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 large ripe avocado, diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, sliced

→ Crispy Chickpeas

07 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Pistachio Green Goddess Dressing

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
13 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
14 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
15 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
16 - 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
17 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
18 - 1 small garlic clove
19 - 2 tbsp olive oil
20 - 2 tbsp water (plus more as needed)
21 - 1/2 tsp salt
22 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chickpeas thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt until evenly coated. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking pan halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
02 - Pulse pistachios in food processor until finely ground. Add Greek yogurt, parsley, basil, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, 2 tablespoons water, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, adding additional water by teaspoon if needed to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - Place romaine, spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and chives in large serving bowl. Drizzle with prepared pistachio dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Top dressed greens with diced avocado and cooled crispy chickpeas. Serve immediately while chickpeas remain crunchy.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The dressing keeps for four days in the fridge, meaning you're halfway to lunch before you've even decided what to eat
  • Those crispy chickpeas are basically croutons that also happen to be good for you
02 -
  • The chickpeas must be completely dry before roasting or they will steam instead of crisp, and I learned this the disappointing way after waiting twenty minutes for soggy beans
  • The dressing will seem a bit thick at first but keep blending because the emulsion happens suddenly and transforms everything
03 -
  • Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 3 minutes before blending to deepen their flavor
  • The dressing works as a dip for raw vegetables or a sauce for grain bowls
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