This is such a festive and fun salad! Thanksgiving panzanella is filled with holiday flavours and lots of veggie goodness. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and chickpeas are roasted with warm baharat spice and garlic powder. Once golden brown and tender, the veg are tossed with crunchy toasted bread cubes, sliced kale, pomegranate seeds, and a shallot thyme dressing. This is a more vegetable-heavy version of a recipe from my cookbook! It’s a great, extra colorful side for your vegan holiday dinners. The oven does a lot of work here!
There is just something about this combination that really does it for me! The dressing is a bit tangy and sharp from the white balsamic vinegar, shallots, and thyme. The roasted vegetables and chickpeas are cozy and soft with warm spices. The crunchy bread cubes soak up the dressing and spices. Of course I went in with kale for some green goodness, and the juicy pops of pomegranate work their magic.
I use Baharat spice blend on the roasted vegetables and chickpeas. This is a spice blend that is common in Middle Eastern cooking. Baharat is the pluralized word for ‘spice’ in Arabic (bahar). This blend is also referred to as Seven Spice in Lebanese cuisine. The combination of spices changes depending on region and the cook themselves, but generally you can count on warm spices like clove and cinnamon in the mix. It is warm, slightly sweet, and can contain a hint of smoke or floral notes from rose petals in some cases. I think it’s very well-suited to food prepared around the holidays and especially root vegetables. If you’re looking for one to buy, I like NY Shuk’s Baharat Spice.
If your local supermarket sells chopped kale and little containers of pomegranate seeds, this salad is even easier. Most of the action happens in the oven. While the veg, chickpeas, and bread are roasting, you shake up the dressing in a jar and chop some kale. Easy!
I roast the chickpeas with the vegetables so that they get a little “spice crust” and a slightly chewy texture. They won’t get crispy here, but the resulting texture is still so great!
Of course I don’t think that you have to limit yourself to holiday time with this Thanksgiving panzanella! I think it’s appropriate for all of Fall and Winter. If you enjoy it, you may also like this Shredded Fall Greens Salad with Sherry Thyme Vinaigrette or this Kale Sweet Potato Salad with Chickpeas, Pickled Red Onion & Spicy Tahini Ranch.
Thanksgiving Panzanella
Holiday flavors shine in this simple Thanksgiving panzanella salad! Naturally vegan, it features a mixture of roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and chickpeas. Toasted bread cubes and kale help to soak up a shallot and thyme dressing.
Servings 6 -8
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables, Chickpeas & Bread
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained (one 15 oz can)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon baharat spice blend
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups cubed bread
Dressing
- ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated with a Microplane
- 1 medium shallot, fine dice
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup olive oil
Assembly
- 4 cups finely chopped kale, lightly packed
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils/seeds
Notes
- You can substitute regular balsamic vinegar if you can’t find white balsamic!
- I like NY Shuk’s baharat spice blend, but there’s lots of recipes/formulas online to make your own.
- I used multigrain sourdough bread for my croutons. Use whatever you have on hand!
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, baharat spice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat everything evenly. Spread this mixture out on one of the baking sheets in a single layer and pop in the oven. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned on the edges, about 50 minutes. Remove the veg at the halfway point to give it a quick stir and flip.
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In the same large bowl (no need to wipe it out), combine the bread cubes, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Spread the coated bread out on the second lined baking sheet and pop it in the oven. Bake until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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While the veg and bread are working in the oven, make the dressing. In a sealable jar, combine the white balsamic vinegar, garlic, shallot, thyme, maple syrup, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Put the lid on top and give it a good shake.
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In the same large bowl, combine the chopped kale with about 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing plus some salt and pepper. Massage the dressing and seasoning into the kale for about a minute. The kale should soften slightly.
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Assemble the salad! To the kale, add the roasted veg and chickpea mixture, toasted bread cubes, and remaining dressing. Toss to combine. Transfer to your serving bowl/platter and top with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy immediately!
