You can still have fall without pumpkin. ? I wanted to create a fall inspired recipe without the traditional pumpkin and sweet potato flavors. Growing up in the Caribbean, there was no such thing as pumpkin spice. So instead, I’d imagine that I would be making a satisfying, crispy, and flavor packed Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini Curry Dressing – so that’s what I created.
I love this salad. As I’ve said before, I’ve never been a huge salad fan and being vegan didn’t really change that. However, I always make exceptions for delicious AND satisfying salads, which usually involves a cooked ingredient (see my Southwest Salad with Baked Seasoned Potatoes). This recipe is no different. The baked crispy chickpeas are a crunchy and satisfying element complementing the savory and sweet notes of the salad. The crispy chickpeas also hold up beautifully against the dressing. No soggy salads over here. And the bold flavors from the creamy Tahini Curry Dressing are the perfect match to the spices baked into the chickpeas.
Because the spiced chickpeas and the curry dressing have such complex and bold flavors, I wanted to keep the salad ingredients fairly simple so the flavors didn’t become too muddied. That being said, this salad is still totally customizable because I think the addition of your choice of nuts or seeds could be a nice add-on or switch out the spinach for your favorite greens. Raw spinach is a personal favorite because it is usually pretty inexpensive, full of micronutrients, and has a mild flavor, which pairs perfectly with the flavors of this recipe.
This salad is also really easy to make. While you’re cooking your chickpeas, you can prep your veggies and make your dressing. I personally really enjoy recipes that allow you to do other things while the oven is doing all the heavy lifting.
If you make it, let me know in the comments! I love getting feedback on my creations ?
Tahini Curry Dressing
Ingredients
