Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade Base
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Hearty Vegetables
- 150 g celery, thinly sliced on a bias
- 250 g chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed
- 30 g scallion, thinly sliced
Fresh Finishing
- 200 g romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
- 150 g cherry tomato, halved
- 40 g parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
- 15 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 287 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 531 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 448 mg
- Calcium
- 198 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 165 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 261 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 105 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 121 mcg
- Water
- 147 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
Add the sliced celery, drained chickpeas, and scallions to the dressing. Stir well to coat the ingredients. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the chickpeas and slightly soften the celery.
While the celery and chickpeas marinate, use a chef's knife and cutting board to chop the romaine lettuce and halve the cherry tomatoes. Gently tear the basil leaves.
Right before serving, add the chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, torn basil, and shaved Parmesan cheese to the bowl with the marinated mixture.
Gently mix everything together until the romaine and tomatoes are coated in the dressing that was pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Serve immediately to maintain the crunch of the lettuce.
Chef's Notes
- Marinating the hearty ingredients (celery and chickpeas) acts as a quick pickling method. The acid in the lemon juice brightens the chickpeas and slightly breaks down the fibrous cell walls of the celery.
- For meal prep, keep the marinated chickpea mixture in one airtight container and the romaine, tomatoes, and basil in another. Combine portions daily for fresh, crunchy lunches.
- Ensure your chickpeas are rinsed exceptionally well and patted dry before adding them to the dressing. Excess starchy water from the can will dilute your vinaigrette.
- Tearing basil rather than chopping it with a knife prevents the edges from oxidizing and turning black, preserving a brighter flavor and appearance.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store the marinated chickpeas and celery separately from the romaine and tomatoes to prevent wilting. Combine just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Romaine lettuce becomes soggy and loses its crunch
Cause: The salad was assembled and dressed too far in advance, or the lettuce was not properly dried after washing
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Thoroughly spin dry the lettuce and only add it to the marinated mixture immediately before serving
Salad tastes bland or lacks acidity
Cause: Chickpeas absorbed much of the salt and acid, or the dressing was under-seasoned
Fix: Squeeze extra lemon juice and add a pinch of flaky sea salt over the finished salad
Prevention: Taste the marinated celery and chickpea mixture before adding the greens to adjust seasoning
Cultural Context
Mediterranean cuisine frequently utilizes legumes as a satisfying base for salads, heavily relying on olive oil and citrus to bind disparate ingredients. Incorporating raw, marinated celery draws inspiration from Italian antipasti, where fibrous vegetables are tenderized through brief immersion in acidic vinaigrettes.
