Nothing better than a fresh, crisp salad, right? This marinated chickpea Caesar salad is quick to prepare and enjoy later for lunch!
I know summer is winding down but this salad is just TOO good not to share with you guys! It’s been on heavy rotation in my work-from-home lunches. I’ll usually prep the marinated chickpeas halfway through the morning since it takes less than 5 minutes and at that point, I need to stand up and stretch a bit.
I got the idea for this lunch after a friend sent me a recipe for marinated chickpea Italian chopped salad. Once I spied Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing on the shelf, I knew I needed to try it out with some marinated chickpeas.
Quick side note: I use shaved parm on this salad so while the dressing is vegan, obviously the shaved parm makes it moot. I realize the irony.
Earlier this summer, Trader Joe’s added a new vegan Caesar salad dressing to their fresh dressings lineup. You can find them along the wall in the produce section. I’m already a big fan of their Green Goddess Dressing and the Carrot Ginger Miso (side bar: use the Carrot Ginger Miso as a marinade for salmon, it’s delicious) so I had to give it a try.
I love how flavorful this dressing is, it’s wonderful as a dip, too. Carrots, cucumber slices, tomatoes, pita triangles. Perfect for a mid-afternoon snack.
At least an hour before you would like to eat, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and place into a large bowl. Add about 4-5 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar Dressing and mix to thoroughly combine. Let it hang out in the fridge while you go back to working from home, do a conference call or two, and work through your to-do list.
Once you’re ready for lunchtime, all that’s left to do is chop up romaine lettuce. Take the chickpeas out of the fridge, add the romaine, and mix. I’ve started taking a page out of Serena Wolf of Domesticate Me and Dude Diet fame’s book and mixing my salad by hand. I thoroughly wash my hands before I do and it’s helpful to really get the dressing mixed throughout the salad and all the good stuff (aka those marinated chickpeas and parm shavings) doesn’t get stuck at the bottom of the bowl.
And voila, you’ve got a marinated chickpea Caesar salad all set for your desk lunch! It’s delicious for lunches or as a side dish for dinnertime.
Ingredients
1 can, chickpeas (drained + rinsed)
Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar Dressing
Romaine, chopped
Shaved parm
Extra freshly cracked pepper (optional)
Directions
In a large mixing add, combine the drained + rinsed chickpeas and Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar Dressing (about 4-5 tbsp, you can eyeball it).
Place the marinated chickpeas in the fridge for about an hour.
Add chopped romaine, shaved parm, and toss thoroughly to combine.
Top with extra freshly cracked pepper and a lemon squeeze if you’d like. Enjoy!!
