This Cajun inspired salad is full of fresh ingredients and packs plenty of spice! Leafy kale and crisp bell peppers make the base of this green salad that gets topped with cajun roasted chickpeas and cajun ranch dressing.
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Are you in the mood for a spicy vegetarian salad?
This Cajun salad has lots of crunch, flavor, and is a great way to eat more veggies! It tastes comforting and complex, while still being oh so good for you!
A brief history of Cajun food
Cajun food originated in the southern United States, and often contains meat or seafood. I love the flavors of Cajun food, so I thought it was time to develop a salad that could satisfy this craving.
Cajun food got its start with the Acadians, who were the first French people to settle in Canada. Eventually they found themselves in southern Louisiana, where they incorporated the foods they could find and grow in that area to make Cajun cuisine what it is today.
This recipe is inspired by the foods and flavors of Cajun cuisine, but is not an authentic Cajun recipe. The bell peppers, onions, and pecans are often found in Cajun recipes, and everything is covered in a spicy Cajun ranch dressing that's incredibly easy to put together.
Ingredients
- Kale
- Corn
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Gruyere cheese
- Pecans
- Parsley
- Cajun roasted chickpeas
- Ranch dressing
- Cajun seasoning
How to make Cajun salad
- Make Cajun roasted chickpeas by roasting garbanzo beans, olive oil, and garlic in a 400ºF oven for 20 minutes. Remove and mix in Cajun seasoning.
- Make the Cajun ranch dressing by combining ranch dressing and Cajun seasoning.
- Roast the corn alongside the chickpeas in the oven.
- Toss all salad ingredients together in a large bowl, combine with dressing, and serve.
Top tips
How to make cajun roasted chickpeas
- Rinse, drain, and pat one 15 ounce can of chickpeas dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chickpeas, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and just a pinch of salt and pepper. Shake the pan so everything is well coated in oil and laying in a single layer. Place the skillet in the oven.
- Roast the chickpeas, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
- Add 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning and stir to coat the chickpeas.
How to make Cajun ranch dressing
To make Cajun ranch dressing, all you need to do is combine store bought ranch dressing and Cajun seasoning. I like a ratio of 1 cup of dressing to 2 ½ tablespoons of seasoning, but you can adjust to suit your tastes.
Dice the veggies evenly
Try to dice all your ingredients to roughly the same size. I like them rather small so you can get just about everything in one bite.
Vegan spicy chickpea salad
To make this recipe vegan, simply leave off the cheese and use a vegan ranch dressing to make the cajun ranch.
How to store
Leftovers can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend storing the dressing separate from the rest of the salad until you're ready to serve it.
Tips for customizing cajun salad
- Meat eaters can add cooked chicken, shrimp, crab, crawfish, or salmon
- Add diced celery, tomatoes, and/or hot peppers
- Add a grain such as rice, quinoa, or bulgur
- Swap the kale for spinach or romaine
- Serve with hush puppies
FAQ
Yes, chickpeas and garbanzo beans are two names for the same thing. They can be used interchangeably.
Cajun seasoning will vary depending on the brand, but generally contains a blend of paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in addition to other spices.
I recommend looking for a Cajun seasoning that does not list salt as the first ingredient, and preferably doesn't contain salt at all. This has become more difficult to find over the years, but I used Spice Islands Cajun seasoning for this recipe and thought it was great.
Yes, feel free to make your own Cajun seasoning suited to your taste. I recommend starting with this Cajun seasoning from Chili Pepper Madness.
More vegetarian salad recipes
- Pizza Salad
- BBQ Chickpea Salad with Cornbread Croutons
- High Protein Vegan Salad with Hummus
- Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
- Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Panzanella Salad
- Rainbow Quinoa Salad
- Vegan Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Tofu
- Vegan Potluck Barley Salad
- Healthy Green Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing
- Summer Salad with Fruit
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Cajun Salad
Ingredients
Cajun Roasted Chickpeas
- 15 ounces canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cajun Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 ½ - 3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
Cajun Green Salad
- 2 ears of corn, cut off the cob, or 1 ½ cups canned or frozen corn (thawed)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, or to your preference
- ½ bunch kale, stems removed, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- ¼ red onion, diced
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese, cubed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
Cajun Roasted Chickpeas
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Dry the chickpeas thoroughly by placing them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel and rolling them around.
- In a large cast iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chickpeas, garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake the pan so everything is well coated in oil and laying in a single layer. Place the skillet in the oven.
- Roast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Transfer to a bowl and stir in Cajun seasoning.
Cajun Ranch Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing and Cajun seasoning until fully combined. To store, transfer to a small mason jar or other container with a lid and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cajun Salad
- While the chickpeas are cooking, add corn in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and allow the corn to roast, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, toss together roasted chickpeas, kale, corn, bell peppers, onion, gruyere, pecans, and parsley.
- Add ½ cup of the Cajun ranch dressing and toss to combine. Serve with additional dressing if desired.
Notes
Tips for customizing cajun salad
- Meat eaters can add cooked chicken, shrimp, crab, crawfish, or salmon
- Add diced celery, tomatoes, and/or hot peppers
- Add a grain such as rice, quinoa, or bulgur
- Swap the kale for spinach or romaine
- Serve with hush puppies
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