In this favorite salad recipe, I serve roasted chickpeas and golden halloumi on a bed of fresh greens with an easy homemade tahini dressing. It’s a dish low in calories and on the table in 30 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Crispy Chickpeas:
- 1 can of chickpeas, about 15 oz (425 g), drained and rinsed
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- zest of 1 dewaxed organic lemon
Tahini Dressing:
- 3/4 cup (200 ml) Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tsp cumin or to taste
- 1 tsp paprika or to taste
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 Tbsp tahini
Salad:
- 4 cups (300 g) salad greens
- 12 oz (340 g) Halloumi cheese, cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into rounds
Preparation:
Spread chickpeas out in a single layer over paper towels. Roll them around to pat them dry on all sides. Heat about 4 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet large enough to accommodate the chickpeas. Heat oil to medium-high, then add the chickpeas. Cook stirring now and then until chickpeas are golden and crispy, about 10 minutes. Be careful as chickpeas will pop and splatter. Use a lid or a splatter screen as a shield to avoid burning yourself. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chickpeas to paper towels. While they are hot, season them with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Set aside.
Wipe out the skillet leaving just a light coating of olive oil on the bottom. Add the Halloumi and pan-fry it on both sides until golden-brown and crusty, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove Halloumi to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
While chickpeas are cooling, prepare the tahini dressing. In a bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the tahini by the spoon while stirring to achieve a smooth dressing. Adjust seasonings and more lemon juice if necessary. If dressing appears to be too thick, thin it up with a bit of water.
Divide salad greens between the 4 serving plates. Top them with crispy chickpeas, cucumber slices and the Halloumi cheese. Drizzle the salad with the tahini dressing and serve.
