Crisp little gem lettuce drizzled in a creamy Caesar dressing with crunchy garlic & rosemary chickpea croutons. A fresh, lighter and plant-based take on the traditional dish. Vegan, gluten-free & healthy.
Preheat the oven to 180°c fan/200°c/400°f.
Start with making the chickpea croutons. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then use a clean tea towel to dry them thoroughly. Transfer them into a bowl along with the oil, garlic powder, dried rosemary and 1/2 tsp sea salt then mix to combine. Pour the chickpeas out into one single even layer on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, Combine your dressing ingredients, along with a large pinch of salt & pepper in a blender and blitz until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve, arrange the little gem between plates and top with a generous drizzle of the Caesar dressing, a sprinkle of crispy chickpeas, sunflower seeds and your protein of choice*.
This vegan Caesar salad is best served immediately, although any left over dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
* This Ceasar salad is great as is as a side dish or appetizer. To serve as a main course I would recommend adding some extra protein. Grilled chicken breast (or vegan alternative), fried tempeh or crispy tofu all work well.
** Nutritional yeast is a powder often used in vegan dishes to give a cheesy flavour. You can find it in most supermarkets, but if you would prefer you can subsitute this with equal quantities of parmesan cheese (or dairy-free equivalent), or leave it out all together.
Recipe courtesy of georgieeats.co.uk