I had been craving a Caesar salad and recently saw one made with pasta and thought hmm I am going to try that with quinoa instead. It turned out so delicious. This is such fun spin on Caesar Salad with the quinoa and crispy flavored chickpeas paired with a lovely Lemon Tahini Dressing.  I could literally drink this dressing it’s so good!  The quinoa makes this salad heartier and the crispy chickpeas add crunch and flavor. 

One thing I will note is that this salad is best served and eaten when you make it. It doesn’t save well as the lettuce wilts with the dressing. You could always make ahead and only put dressing on the part you eat or sub a heartier lettuce like kale which probably would not get as soggy as quickly. But the flavors are so good! I will be making batches of this dressing to keep on hand for salads and veggie dipping! Enjoy!

C A E S A R S A L A D W I T H Q U I N O A + C H I C K P E A S

1 head romaine lettuce shredded 

1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed 

1 cup cooked quinoa 

1/4 cup pine nuts 

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese 

1-2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

DRESSING 

1/2 cup olive oil 

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 garlic clove minced 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

1 tablespoon Dijon 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper  

Lay drained chickpeas on a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Then toss with salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder.  Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes.  Remove and set aside. 

In a bowl add romaine, quinoa, crispy chickpeas, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. 

Blend together dressing ingredients.  Pour over salad and add a little more Parmesan cheese.