What dairy-free yogurt brand do you recommend?

I always recommend using the yogurt brand you like best, but just make sure that the brand you use is unsweetened or plain. You definitely don’t want a flavored yogurt to ruin the flavors. For brands, I tend to gravitate towards Forager Project, Silk’s Soy Yogurt, and Kite Hill’s Greek Style Yogurt.

Should this salad be eaten hot or cold?

You can enjoy it either hot or cold! If heating, I like to add a portion to a fry pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes over medium low heat until everything is heated through.

What is the best way to store this salad?

If planning on leftovers, store the chickpeas in a glass container with a loose fitting lid. Store at room temperature on the counter for up to 3 days. The dressing and the broccolini date mixture can be stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. If fully mixed, you can still store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just note that your chickpeas will lose their crunch and soften.

Why aren’t my chickpeas crispy?

You can get crispy chickpeas, but it can take additional time and techniques to really get them to crisp up. Ultimately, it all comes down to moisture. It’s important to dry them really well before roasting. Also, make sure to roast them long enough to cook off as much moisture as possible. After roasting, it’s important to allow the chickpeas to cool. This will help evaporate some of the steam that may still be there one it’s out of the oven. Chickpeas will lose their crunch over time, but you can always reheat them in the oven to restore their crispiness.

Broccolini Salad with Marinated Sumac Onions

Description

Elevate your next salad with this refreshing herby broccolini salad topped with tangy sumac onions and a zesty yogurt dressing.

Ingredients

Cooked rice or fluffy warm pita for serving

Crispy Chickpeas

1, 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp avocado oil
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Broccolini Date Salad

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sumac
1 medium lemon, fully zested and cut in half
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (use more if you feel you need it)
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bunches broccolini, ends trimmed, bottoms thinly sliced and tops cut in half
5 Medjool dates, pits removed
1/2 cup parsley or cilantro leaves, minced
Small handful mint leaves, torn into smaller pieces

Sumac Dressing

1/2 cup plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sumac

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and carefully pat as dry as possible. If any chickpea skins naturally fall off in the process, discard them.
Transfer the chickpeas to the baking tray. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and drizzle with oil. Toss the chickpeas to evenly coat then place in the oven on the bottom rack to bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the chickpeas to cool for 10 minutes. Give the chickpeas a good stir then return them to the oven for 10 minutes. Top the chickpeas with the onion powder and red pepper, toss again to coat, then bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool.
While the chickpeas bake, prep the salad. To a small bowl add the red onion, sumac, the juice and zest of half the lemon you prepped, maple syrup, a teaspoon of oil, and a generous pinch of salt. With clean hands, massage the ingredients together with the onions then set aside in the fridge.
Heat up a large skillet over medium low heat with the remaining oil (use more if needed). When hot, add the sliced garlic making sure it has contact with the oil. Allow the garlic to sizzle in the pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the garlic appears more golden in color.
Add the broccolini along with a generous pinch of salt and stir to coat with the oil and garlic. Sauté the broccolini for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until bright green in color with a little hint of charred edges. Stir in the dates with another pinch of salt, and sauté with the broccolini for about 2-3 minutes to warm the dates through then remove from heat.
Add in the marinated onions, parsley, mint, and half the roasted chickpeas and give everything a good stir to combine.
For the dressing, add the yogurt, mustard, garlic, vinegar, the remaining zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon, syrup, oil, sumac, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to a blender cup and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness and salt to your preference, then cover and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Serve the broccolini salad over your favorite grain or bread. Drizzle the salad with a portion of the dressing and top with extra roasted chickpeas for some crunch and enjoy.

Notes

Adapt the ingredients. If there is an element of this bowl that you do not like, feel free to adjust to your specific preferences. Not everyone likes fruit in a savory meal, so feel free to exclude. Can’t find sumac? Add more lemon zest instead!

Tips for crispy chickpeas. Make sure to dry your chickpeas well in a clean kitchen towel and if any chickpea skins naturally come off in the process, just discard them. Coat with enough oil and bake on the bottom rack, I find that this helps crisp them up better then placing them up higher. When giving the chickpeas a toss, I do like to let the chickpeas cool for 10 minutes before popping them in the oven again. Once they are done baking, allow to fully cool before using.

If your chickpeas are wet, they may pop in the oven. To avoid a mess, I like to place an empty baking tray on the top rack as the chickpeas roast. This helps to reduce a mess and keep the chickpeas from jumping to hard to reach spots in your oven.