Roasted Chickpea Banh Mi Salad
 
 
A hearty main course roasted chickpea banh mi salad that takes on the flavors of the classic Vietnamese sandwich with spiced roasted chickpeas, quick pickles, homemade croutons, avocado crema, and spicy jalapeno toppings.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the roasted chickpeas
  • 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic
  • half thumbtip of peeled fresh ginger
For the croutons
  • 4 cups (240 mL) ½-inch cubed crusty bread
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil
  • pinch of kosher salt
For the avocado crema
  • ½ ripe avocado
  • 2 tbsp whole milk yogurt
  • 4-6 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
For the quick-pickled radishes and carrots
  • ¾ cup (180 mL) water
  • ½ cup (120 mL) distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ⅛ tsp peppercorns
  • ¾ cup (180 mL) shredded carrots and radishes
For the salad
  • 5 oz (140 g) baby kale
  • ½ cup (120 mL) thinly sliced cucumber
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) minced cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
Instructions
For the roasted chickpeas
  1. Heat oven to 425F (220C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the chickpeas, then rinse and dry them as well as possible. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Add the remaining chickpea ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour over the chickpeas and toss until well coated. Roast for 30 minutes, or until charred and crisp, stirring halfway through.
For the croutons
  1. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the cubed bread to the skillet and toss with the oil and salt. Cook until toasted on the outside with a bit of a chew in the middle, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
For the crema
  1. Combine the avocado, yogurt, water, lime juice, and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add more water as needed until you achieve the consistency of a salad dressing.
For the quick-pickled radishes and carrots
  1. Bring the water to a boil in a small pan. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and peppercorns to a pint-sized glass mason jar. Add in the boiling water and stir until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Pour in the carrots and radishes. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 weeks.
For the salad
  1. Divide the greens, roasted chickpeas, croutons, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeno among 4 plates. Top with a scoop of the quick pickled veggies and a drizzle of the crema. For extra flavor, add a spoonful of the pickle juice onto the salad.
Notes
Recipe from The Minimalist Kitchen
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2019/12/roasted-chickpea-banh-mi-salad.html