Lets just start with this: I am in love with this salad. This arugula salad is topped with 4 things: cumin spiced bulgur, smoked paprika toasted chickpeas, creamy avocado and crunchy pistachios.
Bulgar makes a great salad all on its own, but in this greens-based salad it adds chewiness and body effortlessly. Bulgar cooks so fasts and the addition of cumin to spice it up is genius (Thanks BA!).
Have you tried skillet toasted chickpeas? I feel like I don’t see people using this technique but it is my absolute favorite. A quick marinade in a flavorful sauce followed by a quick saute and you have transformed the humble legume into something embodied with flavor and texture.
If you love skillet toasted chickpeas, check out these gyro-inspired chickpeas and cumin-toasted chickpeas.
The final component of this salad is the dressing, and it could not be simpler. Just lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lime juice and avocado are meant to be together, the combo here just works.
Variations to the Arugula Bulgur Avocado Salad with Smoked Paprika Toasted Chickpeas recipe:
- Simple swaps: lemon juice for lime juice, quinoa for bulgur, spinach for arugula, cashews for pistachios, coriander for cumin, chipotle powder for paprika, tomato paste for ketchup, you get the idea.
- Toasted Chickpeas: You should stick with chickpeas here, not another type of bean. Chickpeas have a firmer texture and hold up well in the skillet.
- Avocado: Creamy avocado is a must both for its buttery richness and is silky texture.
- 1 TBS each: reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce and ketchup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp each: smoked paprika and garlic powder
- 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 TBS avocado oil
- ¾ cup bulgur
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ tsp cumin
- Pinch salt
- 3 TBS fresh lime juice
- 3 TBS olive oil
- ½ tsp each: salt and black pepper
- 1 large avocado, cubed or sliced
- 5 loose cups baby or trimmed mature arugula
- ½ cup roasted salted pistachios
- Mix together the tamari or soy sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat. Let rest 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium pot combine the bulgur, water, cumin and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn off heat. After 10 minutes, fluff with a fork.
- Heat avocado oil in a skillet until shimmering. Add the chickpeas along with any marinade. Cook stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are toasted and starting to brown.
- Whisk together the dressing including the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Assemble salad in three bowls by layering arugula in the bottom and top with bulgur, avocado, chickpeas, and pistachios. Drizzle each salad with 2 TBS dressing just before serving.
