Buffalo-sauced eats don’t have to be unhealthy and salads can be anything but boring! This Buffalo Chickpea Salad is super easy to make, loaded with veggies, and delivers a much needed high-five to the tastebuds.
I’ve been joking about making this salad for a while now and finally (FINALLY!!!) got my act together this week. Buffalo chickpeas: they’re everything I wanted and more. So much more. Seriously I need to make another tray because mine seems to magically vanished in an alarmingly short period of time.
I suspect foul play here…
No way did I make a salad fit for two, topped with enough chickpeas to feed a small army, and stuff my face barbarically until nothing remained. Oh no. Not me. The chickpea fairy must have made them disappear.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
THIS SALAD!!!! GAH!!!
I’m typing this up from my local Panera currently and I feel like I need to pull the manager aside and let him in on my buffalo chickpea salad secret. Restaurants need this salad. You need this salad. Let’s make this salad!!!
Have I filled my annoying blogger quota for the day? Yes? Perfect. Let’s get our recipe on!
Buffalo Chickpea Salad
Crispy roasted chickpeas kissed with buffalo sauce and tossed with a big green salad for a super-tasty lunch or dinner!
As written this sassified salad serves two, and can easily be plated as a side salad for four!
If you’re like me and scarf your lunch solo most days, simply halve the recipe and you’re good to go. You can even roast the entire tray of chickpeas and simply reserve half for a crunchy snack for later, then get up close and buffalo saucy with the rest!
Buffalo Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 15 oz can of chickpeas
- 1 TBSP avocado oil
- 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp paprika
- ⅛ tsp turmeric optional
- a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra heat if desired
- 2-3 TBSP Frank's Red Hot sauce (I used 3 TBSP)
- 1 TBSP unsalted butter melted
FOR THE SALAD:
- 5 oz salad greens: arugula + romaine
- 1 bell pepper any color chopped
- 1-2 cups chopped/sliced tomato
- plus all your favorite salad toppings and mix-ins - have fun!
DRESSING OPTIONS:
- Ranch
- Blue Cheese
- Olive Oil + Vinegar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Drain the chickpeas in a colander or sieve and rinse well.
- Pat the chickpeas very dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. The drier the chickpeas, the crispier your end result. If you have time, leave them to air-dry for a few minutes, and remove any chickpea skins that come off while drying.
- Toss the chickpeas with oil and salt until all your little chicka-peas are coated, then arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast on the center rack for 20-25 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Stir or shake the pan at the 10 minute mark for even crispiness.
- While your chickpeas roast, prep your leafy green salads and load them up with all your favorite veggies.
- Snag your chickpeas from the oven and, while still hot, add them to a bowl with your paprika (I used regular, not smoked, for this one) and turmeric (optional but delicious!) and if you'd like some extra heat, you can add a little cayenne pepper to the mix too. Toss/mix to coat.
- Whisk melted butter and hot sauce together and pour over chickpeas. Mix until coated.
- Taste and adjust as needed. This is the part where I start eating the entire thing of buffalo chickpeas with a spoon. Oops.
- Pour your saucy and scrumptious chickpeas over the salad, drizzle on your choice of dressing, and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
special diets and swaps
- T-rex Chefs: PUT DOWN THE CHICKEN! Try the chickpeas, yo!
- Vegansaurus Chefs: swap the butter for your favorite sub like Earth Balance or a little coconut oil, or simply dress the chickpeas with straight up Frank’s Red Hot sauce. Use a little, or a lot! As for the dressing, use your favorite homemade or store-bought vegan ranch, there are some great ones out there! You can also dress the salad with a simple olive + vinegar combo and let the saucy chickpeas carry the flavor. Delicious!
- As written this recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and SO much more than rabbit food!
crazy for chickpeas?
- Crispy Roasted Shawarma Chickpeas
- Taco Seasoned Roasted Chickpeas
- Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Greek Chickpea Salad
This is honestly, hands down the best salad I have had in my life. I’m not really a salad person or even a Buffalo sauce person but this looked so good I was really intrigued and had to try it. My goodness it was the perfect lunch!!
Ahhh yay! Thank you Emma! I’m so stoked you enjoyed the salad. I straight up adore this one.
Can this be made ahead, like the night before to pack in my Husband’s lunch pail and just have him add the dressing before he eats it?
Hi Jo! The chickpeas will not stay crunchy when made in advance; however, if he’s a fan of chewy roasted chickpeas that can absolutely be done. Personally, I love them every which way so I’m always on board whether they’re crunchy or chewy! I also have a tuna/chicken salad style vegetarian Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe that’s delish and was made with the intent of making in advance for easy packed lunches and such. Hope this helps!
Made this tonight. So good! I roll the chickpeas in a dish towel to remove all the skins. Worth the extra effort. Terrific combo of flavors on the chickpeas, served over a homemade blue cheese dressing. Yum.
I love everything about this salad. The protein from the chickpeas keeps me incredibly full and satisfied!
The first time I made these chickpeas they never even made it to the salad! lol But the second time they did and it was a filling salad. Those spicy little gems really took the salad up a notch.
I am obsessed with this salad. The buffalo chickpeas add so much flavor. Delicious!
So glad you’re loving the recipe, Ashley! Thanks!
Amazing!! I ate mine with chopped cucumber, celery, carrots & peppers with blue cheese dressing, delish! Making it for lunch again tomorrow.
How many carbs per serving do you think?
Hey Tasha! My nutrition calculator has been giving me trouble this week but if you plug the ingredients into MyFitnessPal.com it should give you a good idea of carbs to help you fit it into your day! xoxo
This was great! Ate it with brocooli slaw salad and ranch dressing, thanks!
Added avocado and green onion, omitted butter for vegan option. Delicious!!!
This was delicious, and not at all difficult to make. I love the chickpeas, so tasty. I made some homemade buttermilk ranch to go on top and added some cucumbers and green onion. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hello,
Franks red hot is nog known in europe, is it kind like Tobasco?
Hi Maggy! I personally feel like the flavor of Frank’s is very different from Tabasco sauce and I’m not sure if it’s because a different pepper is used or if it’s more vinegar-y maybe? You basically want to find any brand of cayenne pepper based hot sauce and you should be good to go on the “Buffalo” type flavor!
Looks like an awfull tasty dish, we don’t now the spicy jack sauce in belgium. I will replace it by
tabasco, is that an idea?
Hi Mimi! To get the closest flavor look for a cayenne based hot sauce with these ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Salt, Water, Oil, Paprika, and Garlic <--- anything close to that should work glorious!
OMG! Those chick peas are FABULOUS! I have been trying out a lot of your recipes and they have all been successes! Thank you!
I was recently invited to a get together where I needed to bring a gluten-free side dish. Since I had NO CLUE what tasty dish would qualify as gluten-free, I searched your site with that criteria in mind. I ended up making this buffalo chickpea salad and I’m so glad I did! It was so much better than taking just a regular veggie plate. The hostess even asked if she could keep the leftovers! I kept the sauce separate until it was time to eat, per your instruction, and it worked out perfectly. Thank you for providing me with another yummy recipe!
This recipe is pretty much the best thing that ever happened to chick peas. Even my carnivorous husband loved having this salad for dinner. It’s amazing and I’m hooked.
I am making this STAT! I love everything about this salad.
Thank you Pamela! 🙂 I hope you adore it!
My husband LOVED buffalo flavored stuff. Totally going to try this!!
I love you? Is that too much too soon? I just made these smoking hot, super spicy chickpeas tonight and I am in love. And yes…I did shove a few spoonfuls in my mouth. Oh well! So delicious. I cant wait to try your other recipes. Thank you!
Ahhh I love you too Kristen! 🙂 So happy you enjoyed the recipe (and followed me in the spoonful faceplantage) and can’t wait to hear what you try next! Totally keep me posted, girly! xo
Can i make these a day ahead? Thank u! Kelly
Hey Kelly! They won’t be crunchy anymore, more chewy and saucy but probably still super tasty if you don’t mind the texture swap! 😉 Let me know if you try it because I’d love to know how they are a day in advance! xo
I’m so glad I found this blog…and this was so good! Even hubby who claims he doesn’t like chickpeas loved it. 🙂
Wooooot! Happy to win over a chickpea skeptic and so glad you enjoyed the recipe Linda! I’m glad you found me too! 🙂
What can you substitute for the avocado oil?
Any of your favorite oils will work! Olive oil, grape seed oil, veggie oil, melted coconut oil, etc…
Oh my goodness, this sounds so yummy!
Thanks Rachael!