Caesar Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan Potatoes
This Caesar Salad with Chickpeas adds a contemporary twist to a well-loved classic, with the addition of scrumptious Parmesan Potatoes. Here’s a surprisingly simple way to transform an already delicious Caesar Salad into a head-turning meal – quickly and easily!
The Caesar Salad – Origin Story
The Caesar Salad probably has one of the most glamorous origin stories ever. As legend has it, on a busy weekend in 1924, celebrated restaurateur Caesar Cardini turned on the magic when he was left with only eggs, romaine lettuce, and a few condiments at hand. Something had to be whipped up, and quickly. Deft improvisation, a table-side flourish of culinary genius, and patrons were treated to what would subsequently become one of the most recognisable dishes in the world.
90 years later, you’ll be glad to know that this modern reboot still offers you the unmistakable flavour and nuance of the original. Plus, you’re adding valuable protein and fibre, while still keeping it gluten-free.
Caesar Salad with Chickpeas – and More
While the drawcards here are the oh-so-crispy potato nuggets chickpeas, let’s not forget about the mainstay of every Caesar salad – Romaine lettuce.
For some, this might be unfamiliar territory. Romaine lettuce isn’t something you’d typically add to a mild, sweet garden salad. It’s seriously crisp, slightly tarter than its Iceberg cousin, but perfect for a Caesar salad with chickpeas.
Remember, this is a tightly packed lettuce, so dirt and grit need to be carefully washed off. It’s a good idea to give the individual leaves a thorough rinse once they’re separated, too. Cut the base off of the lettuce, pull the droopier outer leaves away, and get to the heart.
The goal here is to preserve the crackly freshness of those beautiful inner leaves, so just pat them dry with paper kitchen towel and set them aside. Don’t tear any of the leaves just yet, either – save that for the last minute.
Dressed for the Occasion
Another really appealing attribute of a Caesar salad – and its almost alchemic blend of flavours – is the dressing. Salad leaves are designed by nature to repel water – so watery ingredients like Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice just slide right off.
The answer? It’s called an emulsion, where the watery and oily ingredients are blended together to make a sticks-to-everything dressing. Add those dazzling flavour notes of egg yolk, anchovies, and garlic, and you have a winner on your hands.
And, of course, I’ve added crisp golden potato pieces and delicious baked chickpeas to the original, along with lashings of Parmesan cheese. If you’ve never thought of a salad as comfort food, that’s about to change.
Rate Our Caesar Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan Potatoes
Whether you’re looking for a new salad to try or the ideal companion side, click here to spice up any plate!
As always, if you try this recipe let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photo #theculinarycartel on Instagram so we can see what you come up with.
You can also watch the full video here .
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave out the anchovies?
You could, but honestly, the flavour is surprisingly subtle when combined into the dressing – so consider leaving them in. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Is this recipe suited to a gluten-free diet?
Yes! Gluten-free, high in fibre, rich in healthy protein – this Caesar salad with chickpeas and Parmesan potatoes is a fantastic choice.
Can I use olive oil instead of canola?
Don’t use olive oil initially in your blended dressing – stick with canola or a similar high quality neutral oil to start with. When mixed using an electric blender, olive oil breaks up and becomes bitter. Instead, add a dash of extra virgin olive oil afterward and gently blend it in by hand if you’d like to.
Can I add chicken to the salad?
Yes! Some leftover shredded roasted chicken, or a chicken thigh cooked up lovely and crisp would be a great addition if you are after some extra protein. I love this method for cooking chicken thighs, as they come out perfectly crispy and juicy every time.
What if I can’t find Romaine?
Sub the romaine for baby gem lettuce.
Caesar Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan Potatoes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Caesar Salad with Chickpeas adds a contemporary twist to a well-loved classic, with the addition of scrumptious Parmesan Potatoes. Here’s a surprisingly simple way to transform an already delicious Caesar Salad into a head-turning meal – quickly and easily.
Ingredients
For baking, dressing, and sprinkling:
- 40g freshly grated parmesan
To bake:
- 2 potatoes
- 1 tin chickpeas
- 2 medium sized cloves garlic (keep skin on)
Caesar salad dressing
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 anchovies
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (125ml) canola oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad base
- 2 heads Romaine lettuce, inner leaves only, washed and carefully dried, large leaves torn into smaller pieces just prior to tossing, smaller leaves left intact
Additional:
Oil, salt and pepper as needed for cooking
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes, cut into quarters and boil until soft and nearly starting to fall apart. Drain the potatoes and chuff in the colander to get a rough, scraggly exterior.
- Tip the potatoes into a roasting tray, a suitable size for your air fryer or oven and break into smaller bite-sized chunks. Tip the drained and rinsed chickpeas into the other side of the roasting dish, and drizzle everything with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.Then, nestle the garlic cloves (still in their skins) into the roasting dish.
- Add the potatoes, chickpeas, and garlic to your air fryer and cook at 190C for 20 minutes, or your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until both the chickpeas and potatoes are golden and crispy.
- Remove the garlic cloves from the roasting pan. They should be soft and easily squeezed from the skin. Now, sprinkle the crispy potatoes and chickpeas with half of the parmesan (about 20g), then return the dish to the oven to crisp at 200C for 2-4 Minutes.
- It’s time to make the dressing. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a tall jug. Then, add a small handful of the remaining parmesan (around 10g, so you still have a little leftover), plus the lemon juice, egg yolk, mustard, and anchovies. Use a stick blender to blend the ingredients into a paste. With the stick blender running, slowly drizzle in the canola oil, lifting the stick blender up and down to emulsify the dressing. Once all the oil is used up, add a few teaspoons of hot water to the dressing to thin it to the consistency of plain yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Tear or chop the larger Romaine lettuce leaves, leaving the smaller ones intact, then add them to a large bowl and toss with the dressing until well coated. Add the crispy parmesan potatoes and chickpeas to the bed of lettuce. Pour over the remaining dressing as needed, until everything is thoroughly coated.
- Drizzle the remaining grated parmesan over the salad, serve right away, and bask in the praise.
- This recipe is a great way to increase the protein content – along with healthy fibre – while serving up an absolutely delicious gluten-free meal. And of course, you can also adjust the quantity of Parmesan cheese according to your taste preferences. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Salad
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 1015.69
- Sugar: 9.34g
- Sodium: 1381.1mg
- Fat: 67.99g
- Saturated Fat: 8.57g
- Unsaturated Fat: 56.79g
- Trans Fat: 0.22g
- Carbohydrates: 80.71g
- Fiber: 25.52g
- Protein: 30.28g
- Cholesterol: 108.52g
