Thai Roasted Chickpeas with Vegetable Noodle Salad
With warm, Thai spiced, crunchy, roasted chickpeas; cool, crisp cucumber and carrot noodles, fresh veggies and a light, sweet n’ sour dressing, this salad is healthy, refreshing and perfect for summer!
Roast the Chickpeas: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Toss chickpeas with oil to coat and then with spices. Spread chickpeas out on baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until chickpeas are golden brown and crunchy. Make sure you gently shake the pan to stir the chickpeas and ensure even crisping halfway through roasting. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, Prep the “noodles”: Use a spiralizer or vegetable peeler to cut the cucumber and carrots into noodles. Pat the cucumber noodles thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Make the Salad: In a large bowl combine both “noodles”, bell pepper, cilantro, and both onions. Pour dressing over salad and gently toss to combine.*
To Serve: Divide the salad between serving bowls and top with roasted chickpeas. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
*You can substitute 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas for canned. *Make sure you dry the chickpeas very well before roasting. If you have time, dry them with paper towels and let them sit on the counter to air dry for 30 minutes before roasting. *You can make the salad in advance, but the cucumbers will release some of their water and thin the dressing. Do not top the salad with roasted chickpeas and sesame seeds until ready to serve. *Roasted chickpeas can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container on the counter. Reheat at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes to restore crispness.