Description
Embrace the festive spirit with the Romaine Lettuce Salad Christmas Delight, a visually stunning and flavorful salad perfect for holiday gatherings. This recipe resembles a Christmas tree, crafted from fresh, crisp romaine and adorned with a colorful array of vegetables and chickpeas, all brought together with a tangy tahini dressing. It’s a delightful side that is as fun to prepare as it is to eat, ensuring your holiday table is both vibrant and healthy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2–3 heads romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup small diced tomato
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, mint, cilantro
- 1/2 cup smashed croutons
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (e.g., Green Goddess seasoning, Herbs de Provence, or dried oregano)
Instructions
- Prepare the chickpeas: Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and pat them dry with a towel. Heat a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil, chickpeas, granulated garlic, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the chickpeas are heated through and crispy, around 10 minutes.
- Make the tahini dressing: In a medium-sized bowl, combine tahini, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tamari, granulated garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix until creamy and smooth.
- Prepare the toppings: Dice the tomato, cucumber, red onion, artichoke hearts, and slice the olives. Chop the herbs. Ensure all pieces are small and consistent in size.
- Assemble the salad: Remove the outer leaves of the romaine lettuce and separate the remaining leaves. Start assembling the salad on a platter, placing larger leaves at the bottom and smaller ones towards the top to resemble a Christmas tree shape. Evenly distribute the chickpeas and vegetables over the leaves. Drizzle with tahini dressing and sprinkle with smashed croutons.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes