I’m a texture person. I like a little crunch and creaminess together on my fork, and sometimes salads leave me disenchanted. To add protein, you could toss whole chickpeas into your salad bowl and call it a night, but that wouldn’t be nearly as interesting.
These chickpea cakes are slightly crunchy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and compliment the crisp lettuce and sweet tomatoes. In short, there is a lot about this dish that works for me, from a texture perspective.
For the dressing, nothing is easier than whisking Greek yogurt with a little seasoning and lemon. The leftover dressing also makes a great vegetable dip, too.
GREEK SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING AND CHICKPEA CAKES
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Juice of one lemon, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Wash and dry your lettuce and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
In a small bowl, stir Greek yogurt, half the lemon juice, salt and pepper together until smooth. Add a splash of milk to thin the dressing to a pouring consistency.
For the chickpea cakes, rinse and drain the chickpeas from their can and place in a food processor. Add parsley, remaining lemon juice, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs. Pulse to combine. Slowly add the olive oil until the cakes come together and don't crumble when you press some between your fingers. Scrape the mixture out into a bowl and, using your hands, make approximately 8 cakes, rolling them into a bowl, then gently flattening.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. When hot, add four cakes at a time. Cook for two minutes per side, or until sufficently brown.
Arrange your lettuce in bowls, topping with the reserved tomatoes and onion. Drizzle dressing, and scatter a few chickpea cakes around the sides of the bowl.
