Crunchy Chickpea Crumbs Are The Tasty Salad Topper We've Been Waiting For

While some might scoff at the idea of a salad, picturing outdated, bland and boring bowl of romaine lettuce, every true salad-lover knows that the secret to a satisfying plate of greens lies in choosing your salad ingredients wisely, including adding flavor and textural components into the bowl. Creamy dressings and bright vinaigrettes are an excellent way to dress up a salad. But even better is the answer to add intrigue to your next leafy creation: crunchy chickpea crumbs.

Recipe developer and TikToker, Justine Doiron, shared her recipe in which she turns chickpeas into a bread-crumb like texture, then combines them with olive oil and spices and roasts the mixture to crispy perfection in the oven. She sprinkles the chickpea crumbles atop a shaved brussel sprout salad tossed with anchovy tahini dressing to create the perfect contrast of crispy, crunchy, and rich consistencies in every bite. 

The chickpea topping also makes for a great gluten-free option for breadcrumbs or a nut-free alternative to roasted pepitas and is everything you need to top a variety of healthy spring salad recipes. Compared to more common roasted whole chickpea recipes, like garlicky roasted chickpea feta and mint, the small piece size of the pulverized chickpeas allows for a crunchy textural delight in every bite. Key to giving your chickpeas their crispy and golden nature is in how the legumes are prepared prior to baking.

To get the right texture, similar to the size and look of toasted breadcrumbs, rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, then dry them well with a paper towel or dishcloth to avoid any additional moisture from being introduced when you blend the chickpeas. Then transfer your chickpeas to a food processor and pulse a few times, just enough to break the chickpeas down into little crumbles. Be careful not to over-process into a paste or a hummus here. 

Once you've got dry chickpea crumbs, transfer them to a sheet pan prepared with parchment paper. Drizzle the chickpeas with a few healthy guzzles of olive oil to coat and then sprinkle them with desired seasonings. To avoid dirtying another bowl, toss the mixture to incorporate the oil and spices directly on the baking tray, using your hands or a spatula, then spread the mixture out evenly on the pan.

Bake your chickpea crumbles in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, mixing halfway through to ensure an even bake. Once your crumbs reach a light golden brown color and dried, crisp appearance, remove them from the oven, cool for a couple minutes and toss your crumbles into a variety of salads, as a crunchy compliment atop homemade creamy butternut squash soup, or devour as a snack straight from the palm of your hand. 

One of the many beautiful things about a chickpea crumble topping is how customizable the flavor can be. Just like homemade granola, you can mix in an array of spice blends and herbs to introduce variety as you make this from week to week. 

In her TikTok recipe, Justine Doiron seasons her chickpea crumbles with za'atar, an earthy, toasty, and bright Middle Eastern seasoning blend, comprised of spices including dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. If you don't have a jar of za'atar on hand, you can make your own blend. 

Or get creative, and create a toasty flavor depth using cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, and salt. For a bit of spicy heat, toss in a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. To add an element of sweetness and spice, play around with sprinkling on some cinnamon or cardamom.