Crispy chickpeas are combined with fresh veggies, spicy arugula, and a creamy herb yogurt dressing in this delicious roasted chickpea salad. It’s a flavorful main or side dish that fits into vegetarian and gluten free diets.
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A few weeks ago, I went to Scottsdale, AZ for my friend Isabel’s bachelorette party! We did the usual bach party stuff: hung out by the pool, went out for dinner, hit some bars, and…talked about our favorite Trader Joe’s foods. What? You don’t talk about TJ’s at your bach parties?
One of the foods that kept coming up was the frozen roasted corn. If you haven’t had this item yet, run…do not walk…to your nearest TJ’s to grab it! The corn is perfectly charred (fire roasted I think?) and adds the BEST flavor to recipes. It’s really a step above canned corn.
The product I’m talking about is featured in this recipe on the Trader Joe’s website. They also have another frozen corn product called Mexican-style roasted corn with cotija cheese, but that’s not the one you want for this recipe. Look out for the one in the red packaging when you’re in the frozen aisle.
Ok, now let’s get on with discussing the recipe and not just one of the ingredients, ha! Although the TJ’s corn is a great addition to this roasted chickpea salad, you can totally make it with regular canned or frozen corn or sautéed fresh corn. The spicy chickpeas and other ingredients add plenty of flavor. And did I mention the herb yogurt dressing? Yeah, it’s the bomb!
Whip up this delicious vegetarian salad for a quick summer meal. It makes a great lunch or dinner, and it can be prepped ahead of time to pack for work or school.
How to Make Roasted Chickpea Salad
- First, roast the chickpeas! Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas, then spread them out on a clean towel to air dry. To save time, pat them dry with another towel instead. Try to remove as much water as possible. Toss the chickpeas in olive oil and seasonings, transfer them to a baking sheet, and roast until crispy!
- While the chickpeas are roasting, prep the other salad ingredients. Cook the Trader Joe’s corn according to package instructions and chop the veggies. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Put the salad together, toss with the dressing, and enjoy!
For the full ingredients and instructions for this roasted chickpea salad, scroll down to the recipe card.
Expert Tips
- Roasted Chickpeas: To make the chickpeas as crispy as possible, try to get them as dry as possible after draining/rinsing. Roasted chickpeas will lose their crispiness over time, so eat the salad right away if you want crispy chickpeas. You can also reheat roasted chickpeas in the oven for about 10 minutes to get them crispy again if needed. PS – I have another great recipe for roasted chickpeas in my cookbook!
- Corn: As I mentioned, the Trader Joe’s roasted frozen corn (in the red packaging) is a fantastic addition to this salad. However, you can certainly use canned corn, regular frozen corn, or fresh sweet corn instead. I recommend cooking regular frozen corn or fresh corn in a skillet with some butter, salt, and pepper for a few minutes before adding to the salad.
- Prep Ahead Tips: If you want to make this roasted chickpea salad in advance, combine all of the ingredients except the dressing and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few days. Keep the dressing in a separate container. Wait to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat. Again, the roasted chickpeas will lose some of their crispiness over time but the salad will still be delicious!
- Serving Ideas: Serve as a vegetarian main dish or on the side of a lean protein, tacos, or my Veggie-Loaded Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken.
More Chickpea Recipes
If you love adding chickpeas to veggie-loaded recipes, I have some other options for you! Check out the Buffalo Chickpea Salad Celery Sticks, Baked Feta with Vegetables and Chickpeas, Chickpea Salad Cucumber Boats, and Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts and Chickpea Bowls.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
Roasted Chickpea Salad with Herb Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas - drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt - to taste
- 1.5 cups Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn - see notes for substitutions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1 bell pepper - diced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
For the dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 scallion - thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ lime - juiced, more to taste
- Water - to thin, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. After you drain and rinse the canned chickpeas, make sure you pat them dry as best as you can to remove as much water as possible.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Add the chickpeas and toss until coated, seasoning with salt as desired. Spread the chickpeas out in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, gently shaking the baking sheet halfway through to rotate the chickpeas, until the chickpeas are browned and crispy.
- In the meantime, prepare the other ingredients for the salad. If using the Trader Joe's corn, cook according to package instructions (with butter in a skillet until warmed through). One package yields about 1.5 cups cooked corn. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, scallions, garlic, dill, and lime juice. Add small amounts of water as needed to thin the dressing to your liking. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- When the chickpeas are ready, add them to the bowl with the other salad ingredients. Drizzle with the yogurt dressing and toss until coated.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- If you do not have the TJ’s corn, use canned corn (be sure to drain it), regular frozen corn, or fresh corn. Cook the frozen or fresh corn in a little butter in a skillet for 5 to 7 minutes until warmed through before adding to the salad.
- The chickpeas lose their crispiness over time, so the salad will be best served right away if you want crispy chickpeas. However, it still tastes delicious even if the chickpeas aren’t crispy anymore. To prep in advance, combine all of the ingredients except the dressing in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a few days. Add the dressing right before serving.
Nutrition
Enjoy your chickpeas! – Lizzie
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