Description
This delicious and refreshing Crunchy Ranch Salad is topped with crispy baked quinoa and chickpeas, toasted sunflower seeds and crushed croutons. Mix crunchy romaine lettuce with your favorite ranch dressing and vegetables and then add a big helping of the crispy topping! Great for lunch or a light dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup your favorite ranch dressing, or more if desired
- 2 cups of your favorite veggies, diced (I used tomato, cucumber, carrot, radish and red onion)
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, that has been cooled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups crushed croutons, see notes for more info*
- 1/2 cup toasted, salted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. To a large sheet pan, add the chickpeas and cooked quinoa. Next, pour over the olive oil and season with the paprika, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well, until chickpeas and quinoa are completely coated. Bake until chickpeas and quinoa are crispy and browned, 20-25 minutes, flipping once.
- All chickpea and quinoa to cool. Add them to a bowl, along with the crushed croutons and sunflower seeds. Mix together well and set aside.
- Wash, dry and chop your lettuce into bite size pieces. Add lettuce to a large bowl and then add in your salad veggies. Mix with desired amount of ranch dressing and then top with a couple big spoonfuls of the crunchy mix. You can mix a large salad together and then serve, or you can serve individual portions and have each person dress and add the crunchy mixture to their own salad.
Notes
*I just use store-bought croutons that I hit with a rolling pin until they smash into small pieces.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Salad, Vegetarian
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
