This Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Air Fried Chickpeas is beyond crave-worthy and SO easy to make! A salad that closely rivals the much loved classic!
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What I love about this Salad
- it's vegan!
- it very closely rivals the non-vegan original!
- it's SO DELICIOUS!
- it's SO EASY to make!
- it's healthy!
- it's Whole Food Plant Based!
- it's Oil, Nut & Dairy Free!
Do you remember those basic (but insanely delicious) Caesar salads? You know the ones I'm talking about... from any restaurant, smothered in creamy dressing and topped with a handful of croutons? Remember how delicious and unique that experience is? Well, that stage of your life isn't over. This Vegan Caesar Salad is all you need to bring you right back to that moment.
Enjoy this salad as a complete meal or as an amazing side salad to pair with Creamy Lemon Basil Fettucine or Spaghetti with an easy homemade Pumpkin Marinara.
Ingredients
Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Air Fried Chickpeas requires only a few simple ingredients! Here's what you need
- Vegan Caesar Dressing - this 5 minute vegan Caesar Dressing is truly what makes the salad feel like the classic! Don't skip it for the store bought!
- Romaine Lettuce - keeping it classic with crispy, fresh romaine lettuce
- Crispy Air Fried Chickpeas - These chickpeas take about 10-15 minutes to make and add a healthy, crispy bite to this salad! Use them as a replacement for the traditional croutons, or use both!
Optional Toppings!
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- Vegan Parmesan or Nutritional Yeast
- Croutons
How to make Crispy Air Fried Chickpeas
Let's make some Oil-Free, Crispy, Air Fried Chickpeas!! These crunchy chickpeas are simple to make and the perfect healthy crouton substitute for this tasty caesar salad.
Drain the tin of chickpeas, but do not rinse.
Add them to a bowl with all the spices and mix well.
Place in air fryer and cook at 400F for 10-15 minutes, tossing occassionally.
Remove when chickpeas are crisped to your liking! Enjoy as is or use to top a salad like this one!
Storage Tip: To maintain crispness, store leftover chickpeas in an open container with a loose lid or towel and keep at room temperature, or in a glass container in the fridge.
Put it all together
A creamy classic dressing is really the key to a finger licking good Caesar Salad, and this version requires only a bowl, whisk and 5 minutes.
This Caesar Salad recipe is vegan, gluten free, oil free and whole food plant based!
Creamy Caesar Dressing + Crispy Romaine + Crispy Chickpeas = a classic favorite you'll want again and again!
It's crazy how something so simple can be so delicious. There's just something so nostalgic about a classic Caesar salad. I'm happy to still be able to enjoy it and I'm happy to share it with you!
Equipment
The only equipment needed for this recipe is an air fryer. I have a very basic air fryer like this one, and I find it's all that I need!
Note: Every air fryer may vary a bit for cooking times. I recommend starting to check for you're desired level of crispiness around the 10 minute mark, and check every 2 minutes until they are done to your liking.
Storage
Once this salad is mixed with the dressing it should be enjoyed fresh. If you don't think you'll be eating it all, only mix up the amount of salad you plan on eating at that time. Store any leftover chickpeas in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
SALAD FORM
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @samcookskindness !
Recipe
Vegan Caesar Salad with Air Fried Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 batch Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing*
- 2 heads romaine
- fresh cracked pepper
Air Fried Crispy Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas drained, not rinsed
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional Toppings
- vegan parmesan
- nutritional yeast
- vegan croutons
Instructions
Air Fryer Chickpeas
- Add drained chickpeas and all spices in a bowl and mix well. Add to air fryer tray and cook at 400°F for 10-13 minutes, tossing every couple minutes. (Cook time may vary based on your air fryer. Remove from air fryer when crisp to your liking)
Assemble Salad
- Roughly chop romaine lettuce and add to a large bowl. Toss with Caesar Dressing and top with crispy chickpeas and fresh cracked black pepper!
- Optionally, this salad is also delicious with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and croutons!
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