Arugula aka salad rocket is one of our favorite leaves when it comes to putting together salads. The Italians called them “Rucola”. They have a warm, peppery taste which I absolutely fell in love with when I tried them more than a decade ago. I remembered it was really expensive to buy them at that time but thankfully, with the growing supply and demand, you can easily buy them at all major supermarkets now, without breaking your weekly grocery budget.
By adding roasted chickpeas to the salad, they not only elevate the texture and taste but also makes it more substantial as a light meal. If you are not a fan of arugula, feel free to substitute with baby spinach, baby kale, etc. 
Ingredients:
1 packet / box of rocket salad leaves (baby spinach or other dark mixed greens are fine too)
¼ cup baby tomatoes
1 small garlic clove – minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice from one lemon
¼ tsp salt
Black pepper – as little or as much needed
½ cup shaved parmesan cheese (I use Parmigiano Regianno)
Roasted chickpeas:
1/2 can (100 g) chickpeas / garbanzo peas – rinsed and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Serves 2 – 3
The line up.
Preheat oven to 210°C/425°F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
Spread them on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper all over.
Roast them for 10 – 12 mins. Remove tray and let it cool slightly.
In a small bowl, add in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk well until the mixture is emulsified.
Assemble the arugula, baby tomatoes, and chickpeas in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing all over and toss well. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and serve.
I used a vegetable peeler to shave the block parmesan cheese. You could also use the shredded type.
- 1 packet / box of rocket salad leaves (baby spinach or other dark mixed greens are fine too)
- ¼ cup baby tomatoes
- 1 small garlic clove – minced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from one lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper – as little or as much needed
- ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese (I use Parmigiano Regianno)
- Roasted chickpeas:
- ½ can (100 g) chickpeas / garbanzo peas – rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Preheat oven to 210°C/425°F.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Spread them on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper all over. Roast them for 10 – 12 mins. Remove tray and let it cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, add in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk well until the mixture is emulsified.
- Assemble the arugula, baby tomatoes, and chickpeas in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing all over and toss well. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and serve.
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