Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Salad – Two Peas & Their Pod

If you’ve been reading our blog, you probably know that my roasted cauliflower chickpea tacos are one of my all-time favorite meals. I love the cauliflower chickpea combo.

To mix things up, I decided to make a Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Salad and it is insanely delicious! The flavors are INCREDIBLE and the salad is fresh and super satisfying. If you love the tacos, you are going to LOVE the salad. I promise!

The salad is loaded with lots of ingredients, flavors, and textures. The cauliflower and chickpeas get tossed in a spice mixture of garam masala, garlic powder, and smoked paprika before being roasted in the oven. When they are nice and crispy I add them to a bed of arugula and top with avocado, red onion, and fresh parsley.

Drizzle the salad with tahini dressing, toss, and enjoy! You can enjoy this salad as a main dish because it is super filling or you can serve as a side to any meal. Every time I make it for a dinner party or potluck, it gets rave reviews.

Salad Ingredients

• Cauliflower– cut into small florets.
• Chickpeas– rinsed and drained well.
• Olive oil– toss the cauliflower and chickpeas in olive before roasting so it gets nice and crispy in the oven.
• Spices– garam masala, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. These spices are all flavor power houses. If you haven’t used garam masala before, you are in for a treat! It is a blend of spices including cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, cumin, and cardamom. Look for it in the spice aisle.
• Arugula– I love using arugula for the bed of greens because the leaves are bright and peppery. You can use spinach, kale, or mixed greens.
• Avocado– I love the creaminess avocado brings to the salad.
• Red onion– thinly sliced red onions for a pop of color and flavor!
• Italian parsley– I love adding fresh herbs to salads and Italian parsley works well in this salad. You could also toss in some fresh mint.
• Pomegranate– sometimes I like to garnish the salad with pomegranate arils to make the salad extra pretty and juicy!

Tahini Dressing

Let’s talk about the dressing. I LOVE using my Tahini Dressing for this salad. It is easy to whisk up, fresh, creamy, and SO delicious.

You can find the recipe HERE, it only takes 5 minutes to make and is so much better than any store bought dressing. I know you are going to love it, especially on this salad. It is the perfect finishing touch!

How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Salad

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets and chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Add the spices, salt, and pepper. Toss until well coated.
• Place the spiced cauliflower and chickpeas on the prepared pan, making sure they are in an even layer. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir, return them to the oven, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the chickpeas are slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• To assemble the salad, place the arugula in a large bowl. Top with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, avocado, red onion, and parsley. Drizzle with tahini dressing and garnish with pomegranate arils, if using. Serve immediately.
• I like to serve the salad with pita bread or naan bread. YUM!

How to Store

After you toss the salad with the dressing, it is best to eat it that day.

• If you want to meal prep this salad, you can roast the cauliflower and chickpeas ahead of time. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven or air fryer so they can crisp back up.
• Don’t cut the avocado until you are ready to serve and enjoy the salad.
• The tahini dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

More Salad Recipes

Salads

Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

Spiced roasted cauliflower and chickpeas are served over a bed of arugula with avocado, red onion, parsley, and drizzled with a creamy tahini dressing. Serve this hearty and satisfying salad as a main dish or side dish.

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups arugula
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
• Tahini Dressing
• Optional garnish: pomegranate arils

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets and chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Add the garam masala, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss until well coated.

• Place the cauliflower and chickpeas on the prepared pan, making sure they are in an even layer. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir, return them to the oven, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the chickpeas are slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

• To assemble the salad, place the arugula in a large bowl. Top with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, avocado, red onion, and parsley. Drizzle with tahini dressing and garnish with pomegranate arils, if using. Serve immediately.

Calories: 332kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Sodium: 61mg, Potassium: 1079mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 897IU, Vitamin C: 83mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 5mg

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod