There is nothing better than a good and hearty green salad that you can pair with any meal. This simple green salad with roasted chickpeas is fresh, with plenty of crunch and flavor. You have the option to make it a main meal, and then it is topped with a creamy cilantro ranch dressing. It is one of the best salads I have had with simple ingredients. So if your looking for a green salad that isn’t boring and super tasty, this recipe is for you!

Ingredients

This green salad starts with a base of romaine lettuce. I love the crunch that romaine lettuce adds to this recipe. Then I added in some cucumber and avocado. The cucumber is a classic green salad ingredient, while the avocado just adds some butteryness to the salad. Next up is some parmesan cheese. I used vegan parmesan, but feel free to use any kind. The parmesan is my favorite cheese in the salad because it holds up well and has a salty bite. Last but not least is some crispy chickpeas. These almost take on the roll of croutons, but with a little more nutrition.

Dressing

To dress this salad is a cilantro ranch. This ranch dressing is definitely a lighter version of ranch dressing, but don’t let that scare you. It is still extra creamy and filled with flavor. The base of the dressing is some vegan mayonaise and tofu. If you don’t like tofu you can use extra mayo, but I promise you really can’t taste it. To that I added a bunch of cilantro. If your one of the people that think cilantro taste like soap then feel free to omit. Next up is a jalepeno. This makes the ranch a little more interesting with a little extra spice. To brighten up the dressing is some lemon juice. Finally,  to season the ranch and bring everything together is a dairy free ranch packet. If you don’t mind if the ranch isn’t vegan, then you can just use the hidden valley ranch packet from the grocery store. I used this same dressing on my Mexican salad, and it is one of my favourites.

This salad could also make a delicious main meal with some grilled chicken. Some people feel like salads are flavourless or boring, but not this one. This salad is so tasty you won’t even feel like your eating a salad. So many different flavors and texture topped with one of the best ranch dressings! If you struggle to enjoy a salad be sure to give this simple green salad a chance.