Nargisse Benkabbou approaches new recipes with a nod to the traditional flavours of her food-loving Moroccan family and heritage. In this salad, harissa emboldens the classic Caesar to become a better, smoky, mildly spiced version of itself. Crispy spiced chickpeas take the place of croutons and add welcome crunchiness and texture. For a vegetarian version, substitute the anchovy fillets and Worcestershire sauce with 1 tbsp of jarred capers.
With make-ahead and storage tips for the chickpeas and dressing, this salad makes an excellent, quick and healthful packed lunch. For dinner, serve alongside grilled chicken, vegetables and flatbread for an inspired feast.
Harissa Caesar Salad With Crispy Spiced Chickpeas
Ingredients
Crispy Chickpeas
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp granulated sugar
Harissa Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp harissa or more to taste
- 4 anchovy fillets minced, or 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp granulated sugar
Salad
- 4 small (or 2 large) romaine hearts (1¼ lb/570 g approx)
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
Instructions
Crispy Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry chickpeas thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch over chickpeas and toss until evenly coated. Drizzle oilve oil over chickpeas and toss to coat.
- Spread chickpeas out on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 30 to 35 minutes. Shake pan to move chickpeas around halfway through for even browning.
- Remove chickpeas from oven and transfer to medium bowl. Add cumin, paprika, salt and sugar and toss well until chickpeas are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Let chickpeas cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use or for up to 2 days.
Harissa Caesar Dressing
- Combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, harissa, anchovies, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and sugar in medium bowl and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or harissa if desired. Transfer to jar or other covered container and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 3 days.
Salad
- Cut romaine hearts lengthwise in half or into quarters if using large ones. Transfer to large bowl, pour harissa dressing overtop and use tongs or your hands to gently coat the romaine leaves.
- Transfer to large serving plate. scatter chickpeas overtop, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Tips from the ELLE Gourmet Editors
What is harissa and where to find it?
Harissa is a spicy, smoky paste made from sundried red chile peppers, red peppers, garlic, olive oil and salt that originated in North Africa. It has a slightly smoky flavour due to the dried peppers and a subtle, mild garlicky addictive heat. Harissa is commonly used as a condiment alongside breads and grilled meats or to deeply flavour soups, stews and couscous. We love it in these meatballs or this zippy dip. Find harissa in jars on the shelves of most online or retail grocery stores among the international selections.
How to achieve maximum crisp on your roasted chickpeas
The secret to the ultimate crispy roasted chickpeas lies in coating them in a light dusting of cornstarch before roasting. The cornstarch does two things. First, absorbs additional moisture as they roast. And second, creates a thin exterior layer that crisps beautifully. A light dusting of cornstarch before roasting is a highly effective treatment for tofu, chicken and vegetables as well for max crisp factor.
