Crispy Buffalo Chickpea Salad with Tahini Ranch Dressing

|Updated May 11, 2020

This salad is here to satisfy any buffalo chick'n cravings you've been having-- in a healthier way!

Let’s talk about these Buffalo Chickpeas for a bit. They’re crispy, spicy, and so delicious. Whether you’re making Buffalo Chickpeas or just regular roasted chickpeas… they’re a healthier and gluten-free alternative to croutons. And they’re just fun to snack on.

The Tahini dressing is creamy, smooth, and contrasts perfectly with the spiciness of the chickpeas. This dressing is so easy but if you just blend all the ingredients at once, your dressing may turn a tint of green. It will still taste great, but if you want to avoid the green hue, just add in your herbs at the end and pulse it or mix it in.

INGREDIENTS:

Chickpeas

2 14oz Cans of Chickpeas
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Hot Sauce
2 Tbsp Vegan Butter, melted
1/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika
Pinch Salt and Pepper

Creamy Tahini Ranch

1/4 Cup Tahini
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2-4 Tbsp Water
1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
Pinch Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Chives, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Crispy Chickpeas

Preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Lay them out on a tea towel and gently dry your chickpeas.
Transfer your chickpeas to a bowl and add in your olive oil. Toss it around until they're evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 20 Minutes.
To make the buffalo sauce, mix your hot sauce with the melted butter.
After 20 minutes, take your chickpeas out of the oven and transfer them to a large bowl. Add half your buffalo sauce to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
Transfer chickpeas back on the baking tray and continue to bake again for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove from the oven again and coat the chickpeas again with the rest of your buffalo sauce plus the smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a baking tray and bake one more time for 10 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and let it cool. While it's cooling make the Tahini Ranch Dressing

Tahini Ranch Dressing

Add your tahini, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice to a blender, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until combined.
Add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you get a smooth and salad dressing like consistency. You don't want it too thick, but you also don't want it too watery. In between is perfect.
Add the chopped parsley, chopped dill, and chopped chives to the blender and pulse until evenly mixed throughout the sauce. If you blend it, your sauce may turn a tint of green.
Assemble your salad with whatever veggies: kale, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, etc. Top off with your Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas and drizzle over your Tahini Ranch Dressing. Dig in and enjoy!