Description
Buffalo Chickpea Salad is a vibrant, spicy, and meatless dish capturing all the tangy flavors of classic buffalo wings. Featuring crispy skillet-toasted chickpeas mixed with fresh veggies and a creamy buffalo yogurt dressing, this salad is perfect for a flavorful lunch wrapped in crisp romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpea Mixture
- 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup diced carrots
- 1/4 cup diced celery
- 3 Tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce
- 1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp tahini
Vegetable Garnish
- 1/12 cup diced carrots (remaining from 1 large carrot)
- 1/12 cup diced celery (remaining from about 1 large stalk)
- Celery leaves for garnish
Additional
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice (for vegetable garnish)
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
- Romaine or Bibb leaves for serving
Instructions
- Heat the skillet: Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Heat until the oil shimmers gently.
- Brown the chickpeas: Spread the drained and rinsed chickpeas in a single layer in the skillet. Let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until they develop a light brown, crispy texture on one side.
- Sauté with garlic and salt: Stir the chickpeas, then add the minced garlic and kosher salt. Cook for an additional minute, allowing the garlic to soften and the chickpeas to absorb seasoning.
- Mix chickpeas with veggies: Transfer the chickpeas into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup diced carrots and 1/4 cup diced celery to the bowl.
- Prepare buffalo dressing: To the chickpeas and veggies, fold in 3 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce, 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 tablespoon tahini. Stir gently until everything is evenly combined.
- Toss garnish veggies: In a separate small bowl, toss the remaining diced celery and carrots with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice for a fresh, tangy crunch. Set aside.
- Assemble and serve: To serve, top the prepared buffalo chickpea mixture with crumbled blue cheese (if using), the tossed celery and carrots, and a generous handful of celery leaves. Scoop the salad onto romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves, wrap, and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Buffalo Chickpea Salad delivers all the flavor of buffalo wings without meat, making it a perfect spicy and satisfying vegetarian lunch option.
- Blue cheese is optional but adds a rich tang that complements the heat of the buffalo sauce.
- Using fresh celery leaves as garnish adds a delightful herbal freshness and crunch.
- Ensure chickpeas are well toasted in the skillet to enhance texture and flavor.
- For a vegan version, substitute Greek yogurt with a plant-based alternative and omit blue cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 182 kcal
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 821 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0.5 mg
