Roasted BBQ Chickpea Salad with BBQ Ranch

Look out summer salads, because this roasted BBQ chickpea salad with BBQ ranch is here to take the salad spotlight. Here are the facts: this salad tastes like a BBQ chip, it’s meatless, it’s super inexpensive, and it only takes 20 minutes to prepare!

Roasted BBQ Chickpea Salad Ingredients

Roasted BBQ Seasoned Chickpeas

• A good salad needs a “catch,” or something that makes the salad sound incredibly appealing. These almost-bacony crispy chickpeas are that catch. My husband repeatedly asked me if bacon was hiding in the salad because of these crispy chickpeas. Prep and cook these crispy chickpeas in the air fryer in under 15 minutes to get the BEST crispy BBQ chip-like flavor.

Corn

• Would it be a summer salad without corn?? Fresh summer corn cut off the cobb in this roasted BBQ chickpea salad makes this dish a KNOCKOUT. But if you don’t have fresh corn on hand, don’t worry, you can use canned corn or defrosted frozen corn as well.

Cherry Tomatoes

• A few cherry tomatoes cut in half add a great juicy pop to the salad. Feel free to swap cherry tomatoes for other tomatoes you might have on hand.

Avocado

• Avocado aids in creating a creamy layer in the salad. If you are adding avocado to your salad, you might want to add it to your meal prep right before you eat your salad. When the inner flesh of the avocado hits is cut into, it starts to brown, while it is safe to eat and tastes the same, the color does bother some people.

Colby Jack Cheese

• To save money on your salad ingredients, buy a block of Colby jack cheese (as it’s cheaper than the pre-shredded cheese) and cut half of the block into small bite-size cubes. It makes this salad feel more like a restaurant salad and will also help you save on your grocery bill. Shredded cheese or other varieties of cheese like cheddar, pepperjack, or gouda will also complement your roasted BBQ chickpea salad.

Romaine Lettuce

• Crunchy romaine lettuce lays the foundation for this egg-less Cobb-style summer salad.

Red Onion

• Beautiful, diced red onion brightens the salad with its vibrant color and sweet onion taste.

How to Meal Prep Roasted BBQ Chickpea Salad

I love a good salad meal prep for lunch! While this is a great meal prep option, please note that if you are meal prepping this salad the chickpeas are likely to not stay as crispy as when you first made them. For the best texture, roasted chickpeas should be eaten ASAP, but the flavor will still be kicking in your meal prep salads.

Eat this salad within 5 days of meal prepping.

Here are a few of my tips for meal-prepping this salad:

• Keep the Chickpeas Separate
  • Treat the chickpeas like croutons and sprinkle them on the top of your salad. The chickpeas will start to absorb the moisture of the other veggies if they are added directly to your meal-prepped salad. Separate your cooled, roasted chickpeas into individual sealed containers or baggies until you use them. Roasted chickpeas do become less crispy the longer they sit and will likely not keep that crispy texture– but the flavor will still be AMAZING.
• Layer Your Salad Containers
  • For longer-lasting roasted BBQ chickpea salad meal preps, layer your salad. Add the wet items to the bottom of your container to help prevent a soggy salad. Place BBQ Ranch on the bottom of your container. Next add your chopped tomato, followed by the corn, onions, cubed cheese, and finally the lettuce at the top. Add your avocado later if desired (otherwise add it to the top of the cheese), and pack a sealed container or baggie of the roasted chickpeas to sprinkle on top.
• Add Avocado on the Morning of Consumption
  • I am unbothered when my avocado begins to brown and prefer the ease of prepping all at once. But for aesthetics, I suggest adding the avocado as close to when you are going to eat your salad as possible. You can also pick up a frozen bag of cubed avocado (or freeze your own) to add on top of your salad in the morning.

How to Roast Chickpeas in the Air Fryer and in the Oven

In the summer, I prefer to use the air fryer and avoid turning on the oven. The air fryer is also much faster, but if you don’t have one — no worries. Roasted chickpeas get just as crispy in the oven as they do in the air fryer. The only real difference between the two is time.

Air Fryer Method

In a preheated air fryer, roast the seasoned chickpeas for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oven Method

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes (shake the pan once in between).

Can I Make Roasted BBQ Chickpea Salad Vegan?

Yes, absolutely! Swap regular ranch dressing for vegan ranch and swap Colby jack cheese for plant-based cheese or a second avocado.

Best Tips for Crispy Chickpeas

Here are some of my best tips for making and eating the best crunchy chickpeas.

• Dry your rinsed chickpeas as much as possible
  • The drier the chickpeas start out the more likely they will be crispier in the end.
• Eat them ASAP
  • Unfortunately, there is not a really good way to keep roasted chickpeas crispy, as they will lose some of that crispy texture the longer they sit. For the best texture, they are best to eat immediately.

The BEST 2-Ingredient Salad Dressing: BBQ Ranch

2-ingredient salad dressing? Yes, 2!

And I bet you already have the ingredients on hand: Ranch Dressing and your favorite BBQ sauce!

It’s really as simple as it sounds, but you will be scrapping your salad bowl for every last drop of this addicting salad dressing.

More Salad Recipes

Looking for more outrageously flavorful and easy salads? We’ve got you covered! Here are a few of our absolute favorite salads for any occasion:

• Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad Copycat Recipe
• Bacon Cheeseburger Salad with Sesame Bun Croutons
• Kale Salad with Apples, Craisins, Feta, and Pistachios