Colorful bread chip bowl with roasted chickpeas
Often, half a loaf of bread sits in the kitchen, getting drier and drier each day. It's no longer fresh enough for a classic sandwich. That's precisely where this vegan bread chip bowl comes in. You can transform stale slices into wonderfully crispy chips in the oven.
- 3 slices of stale bread
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 TL Oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 400g chickpeas
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 1 Salad cucumber
- 1 red bell pepper
- 0.5 red onion
- 1 Avocado
- 2 Tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 100 g Rocket
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) using conventional oven settings (top and bottom heat). Cut the stale whole-wheat bread into bite-sized cubes or large chunks and spread them out on a baking sheet.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and 0.5 teaspoons of salt. Pour the seasoning mixture over the bread pieces and toss thoroughly to ensure the chips are evenly coated.
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake the bread chips for 12–15 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Then let them cool briefly.
- Pat the drained chickpeas dry and heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and roast them for 5–7 minutes, until lightly crispy.
- Season the chickpeas with cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and set the chickpeas aside.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper into small pieces. Slice half a red onion into thin rings.
- Halve the avocado, remove the pit and scoop the flesh out of the skin.
- For the dressing, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, agave syrup, and water in a small bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and thin with a little more water if needed.
- Spread the arugula as a base in deep bowls. Top with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, avocado and roasted chickpeas.
- Place the crispy bread chips on top so they retain their crunch. Drizzle the tahini dressing generously over the bowl.
- Garnish everything with freshly chopped parsley.
Vegan bread chip bowl: crispy, colorful and filling
A good dish thrives on diverse textures, and this combination truly excels in this regard. The base is a bed of peppery arugula. On top, you layer juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp pieces of bell pepper, and fresh cucumber. A soft avocado adds a pleasant creaminess, while pan-roasted chickpeas provide a savory bite. A quick tahini-based dressing forms the flavor framework. Lemon juice adds a refreshing acidity. A splash of soy sauce provides the necessary seasoning, and a touch of agave syrup rounds out the mixture with a subtle sweetness. This nutty-tangy sauce harmoniously binds all the ingredients together. This is far from a boring salad.
For homemade croutons, stale bread is indeed the best choice. Fresh dough contains too much moisture and would tend to remain soft in the oven. The stale bread cubes, on the other hand, soak up the flavorful oil mixture like a sponge, distributing the aromas evenly throughout. Toast the pieces on a baking sheet over high heat. After about fifteen minutes, your whole kitchen will be filled with the aroma of garlic and herbs. The bread chips should be a beautiful golden brown. A crucial tip for serving is timing. Add the crispy pieces to the vegetables only at the very end. This prevents them from becoming soggy from the dressing and ensures they retain their delicate crunch until the last bite.
The chickpeas also get a robust seasoning in the pan. Cumin and turmeric go perfectly with the little legumes. This spice combination gives them a warm and slightly earthy note. Sautéing intensifies the aromas even further, and the chickpeas develop a slightly firm skin. Once all the components are arranged in the bowl, sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley. This adds a final burst of freshness. It's best to serve the dish immediately. The combination tastes best while the bread chips are still crunching loudly and the chickpeas are lukewarm.
