Gluten-Free Chickpea Salad With Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette Recipe
For this naturally gluten-free salad, we put a vegetarian spin on the classic flavors of caramelized onions, smoky bacon, and creamy mustard dressing. To replace the salty, smoky flavor of the bacon, we fried protein-rich chickpeas in oil until they were toasty and crisp, then tossed them with smoked paprika, cumin, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Crushing some of the chickpeas ensured that they clung to the lettuce. A scant teaspoon of mayonnaise whisked with a combination of sweet, viscous honey, seedy whole-grain mustard, and apple cider vinegar gave us a vinaigrette that was creamy yet not so heavy that it weighed down the delicate mesclun leaves. Charring sliced red onions under the broiler brought out their sweetness and added an extra layer of smoke to this hearty salad.
TEST KITCHEN TIP: How to Dress a Salad
Getting a properly dressed salad requires a few simple steps. You never want to dump a set amount of dressing over greens and assume they will be perfectly coated. Once you have overdressed your salad, there is no going back, so it’s best to lightly drizzle and toss the salad with tongs a couple of times, tasting as you go. Generally, 1/4 cup vinaigrette dresses 8 to 10 cups of lightly packed greens, enough for 4 to 6 side salads or 2 to 3 dinner salads. For the freshest salad, make sure to dress your greens just before serving.
RECIPE: Salad with Crispy Spiced Chickpeas and Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
We dress up a simple mesclun salad with a honey-mustard vinaigrette and a topping of spiced pan-fried chickpeas. Mesclun is typically a mixture of such specialty greens as arugula, Belgian endive, and radicchio.
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Serves 4 to 6; Gluten-Free
SALAD
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and thoroughly dried
1 red onion, halved and sliced through root end
6 ounces (6 cups) mesclun
DRESSING
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. FOR THE SALAD: Combine paprika, sugar, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cayenne in large bowl; set aside. Heat 3/4 cup oil in large Dutch oven over high heat until just smoking. Add chickpeas, partially cover (to prevent splattering), and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Using slotted spoon, transfer chickpeas to paper towel–lined plate and let drain briefly. Toss chickpeas in large bowl with reserved spices, let cool slightly, then crush about half of chickpeas into coarse crumbs with fork.
3. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Toss onion with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and spread over aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil onions, checking often, until edges are charred, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Let onions cool slightly, then add to spiced chickpeas along with mesclun and toss to combine.
4. FOR THE DRESSING: Whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon zest, mayonnaise, and salt together in bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine. Serve.
RELATED LINKS:
Learn the Secrets to Vegetarian Dinners on the Online Cooking School
Learn more about our best-selling gluten-free title, The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook.
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