Chickpea and Fennel Salad for the Seasonal Shift

Because, let’s be real, it’s not quite cozy season yet

For the last year, I’ve eaten at least three cans of chickpeas a week. I never seem to tire of them! Crispy chickpeas are mild in flavor, big on crunch, and endlessly customizable, plus they’re packed with protein and easy to prepare. During summer, I paired my chickpeas with ripe tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and crunchy cucumbers. As we move into early fall, I’ve turned to one of my favorite autumn veggies—fennel—to be the vehicle for my weekly chickpeas. I toss thin slices with red onion, parsley, shavings of pecorino cheese, and a bracingly tart lemon-Dijon dressing. The result is a crisp, refreshing salad that’s perfect for the seasonal shift.

Crispy chickpeas require two things: high heat and lots of olive oil. Start out by rinsing and draining the chickpeas, then dry them off very well—this is crucial for warding off sogginess and preventing excess oil splatter inside the oven. Dump them onto a sheet pan then drizzle well with olive oil and sprinkle with a generous (I mean generous) amount of salt. Think of the chickpeas sort of like croutons—they contribute both texture and a hit of savory saltiness. Just remember that, unlike a crouton, these chickpeas should be crispy on the outside but still slightly soft in the center (not dry and crunchy all the way through).

Raw fennel can veer into woody territory if the bulbs are large. For this reason, I prefer my fennel very thinly sliced. If you have one, I recommend using a mandolin slicer to created paper-thin pieces that soak up the salty dressing and slightly soften. For the sake on consistency, you’ll want to slice the red onion using the mandolin as well, then soak the slices in cold water to reduce some of their natural sharpness.

The dressing is made from lemon (the juice and some zest), Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. A shower of salty pecorino cheese helps to balance the fennel’s sweet anise flavor. When the weather finally begins to cool, I’ll enjoy my weekly cans of chickpeas in soups and braises. Until then, I’ll be making this salad on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays-—and no, I won’t get sick of it.