Sandra Roasted vegetable salad with crispy chickpeas is a Turkish meze made with sautéed courgette, carrot, red pepper, and a garlic yoghurt labneh dressing. Warm vegetables, cold tangy sauce, crunchy chickpeas on top.
If you do nothing else, cook each vegetable separately. It sounds like extra washing up, but courgettes release water, carrots take longer, and peppers soften at a different pace. Cooking them together means something is always either underdone or overdone. Three rounds in the same pan, two minutes wiping in between, and every piece comes out right.
The chickpeas need to go in the oven or air fryer until they’re properly crisp all the way through, not just golden on the outside. I leave mine for a full 20-25 minutes and shake the tray halfway. They lose their crunch fast once they hit the yoghurt, so I scatter them on at the very last second before serving.
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Crispy Chickpeas Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated
- 1 large carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 large red bell peppers, finely chopped
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Small handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
- Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the Crispy Chickpeas
- 120g (4oz) tinned chickpeas, drained and dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
For the Dressing
- 3-4 tbsp strained yoghurt
- 2 tbsp labneh
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Salt, to taste
How To Make Roasted Vegetable Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
- Roast the chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Toss the drained chickpeas with olive oil and chilli flakes on a lined baking tray. Spread them in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes, shaking halfway, until dark golden and crisp. If using an air fryer, cook at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes.
- Cook the courgettes: Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the grated courgettes and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and any water has cooked off. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Cook the carrot: Add a little more oil to the same pan. Cook the grated carrot over high heat for 3-4 minutes until just soft. Transfer to the bowl with the courgettes.
- Cook the peppers: Add a splash more oil and cook the chopped red peppers for 3-4 minutes until softened and slightly charred at the edges. Add to the bowl.
- Add the herbs: Scatter the chopped dill and parsley over the warm vegetables and toss gently.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix the strained yoghurt, labneh, crushed garlic and salt until smooth. Pour over the vegetables and fold everything together.
- Serve: Spoon the salad onto a serving plate, top with the crispy chickpeas and a few extra pieces of roasted red pepper. Serve straight away.
Recipe Tips
Dry the chickpeas before roasting. Roll them in kitchen roll after draining and pat until the skins feel dry. Wet chickpeas steam in the oven instead of crisping.
High heat for the vegetables. Keep the hob on high so the courgettes and carrots sear rather than stew. Low heat draws out moisture and you end up with soggy, watery vegetables sitting in a puddle.
Cook each vegetable separately. They release different amounts of water and cook at different speeds. Mixing them in one pan means uneven results every time.
Add chickpeas at the last moment. They start losing their crunch within minutes of touching the yoghurt dressing. Scatter them on right before you bring the plate to the table.
Squeeze the grated courgette first. Courgettes hold a lot of water. After grating, give them a firm squeeze over the sink. This cuts the cooking time and stops the pan from flooding.
What To Serve With Roasted Vegetable Salad
This works as a side with grilled lamb, chicken kebabs, or alongside warm flatbread. The yoghurt dressing makes it rich enough to hold its own next to plain grilled meats.
It also fits into a meze spread with hummus, stuffed vine leaves, or a simple green salad. Warm pitta on the side is a good call.
How To Store Roasted Vegetable Salad
Fridge
Store the vegetables and dressing separately in sealed containers for up to 2 days. Keep the chickpeas in a separate container at room temperature. Assemble just before serving.
Reheat
The vegetables can be eaten cold or at room temperature. If you prefer them warm, give them 30 seconds in the microwave but the texture softens.
Freeze
Do not freeze. The yoghurt dressing splits when thawed and the vegetables go mushy. The chickpeas lose all their crunch.
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Crispy Chickpeas Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 185kcal, Protein: 8g, Fat: 10g, Carbohydrates: 17g, Sugar: 7g, Sodium: 310mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, but soak them overnight, boil until tender, then dry and roast as normal. Tinned chickpeas save about 12 hours of prep and work just as well for crisping.
Either the courgettes weren’t squeezed before cooking or the pan wasn’t hot enough. High heat and dry vegetables are the fix.
Yes, spread them on a tray and roast at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) for 15-20 minutes. The flavour will be slightly different but it saves standing at the hob.
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Description
Sautéed grated courgette, carrot and red pepper folded into a garlic yoghurt labneh dressing, topped with chilli-roasted crispy chickpeas.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
For the Crispy Chickpeas:
For the Dressing:
Instructions
- Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil and chilli flakes, roast at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) for 20-25 minutes until crisp, or air fry at 190°C for 15 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan on high, cook grated courgettes for 3-4 minutes until softened, transfer to a bowl.
- Cook grated carrot in the same pan for 3-4 minutes, then finely chopped red peppers for 3-4 minutes, adding each to the bowl separately.
- Add chopped dill and parsley to the warm vegetables and toss gently.
- Mix strained yoghurt, labneh, crushed garlic and salt until smooth, pour over the vegetables and fold together.
- Serve on a plate, scatter crispy chickpeas and roasted pepper pieces on top just before serving.
