How do we feel about kale? People are very opinionated about kale. But I love it because it can be turned into kale chips, a smoothie, or into a salad! I’ve had my share of kale salads and along the way, I’ve figured out what makes a really, really good kale salad. It comes down to three things: a creamy dressing, something crunchy, and bite-sized pieces of kale. This kale salad recipe has all of those components. It has a lemony and creamy tahini dressing, crispy chickpeas with classic spices, and rich and bite-sized kale. And the great part about this salad is that you can customize it with fun additions like sweet potatoes, avocado, or quinoa!
Why you’ll love it
So many textures are in this salad that make it so fun to eat and serve! It’s a versatile dressing and salad because the salad can be a side dish or a main meal and the dressing can be enjoyed on tons of other proteins or vegetables. Caesar salad flavor in a delicious vegetarian salad and it can easily be made vegan with a few simple swaps.
Let’s Talk About What’s In This Salad
This salad has a few components that all come together into greatness.
Crispy Tahini Chickpeas: These chickpeas only need tahini, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika! Tahini Dressing: This dressing can be made in a jar or bowl with Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and a little water to get it to the texture you’d like. For The Salad: Last but not least, the kale and parmesan to make the salad!
How to make A Chickpea Salad with Kale
This salad is so fast to make and will be ready for you to eat in 25 minutes. Most of that time is spent just waiting for the chickpeas to get nice and crispy!
Storage
Kale stores better than any other salad base because it can hold up to the dressing! To store it, keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chickpeas will start to lose their crispiness so it’s great if you can keep the chickpeas separate.
Why this Recipe Works
I’ve done loads of testing on this salad and here’s what I’ve learned and why it works!
It stores well thanks to kale being so hardy. The chickpeas are absolutely next level. They’re like croutons, protein, and flavor morsels all in one. It’s a versatile salad that can be made with croutons if you don’t like chickpeas or you can add sweet potatoes or tofu for a little extra umph.
What kind of kale is best for a salad?
I prefer to use Tuscan kale because it is less bitter. However, when using this kale the stems are very thick so you might need to remove the stems.
Can you meal prep this salad?
Yes, to prep this salad in advance, prepare the dressing and kale salad, storing them separately. Chickpeas can be roasted in advance, then reheated on the stove of in the air fryer when it’s time to eat (or enjoy them room temp). Top the kale salad with them just before serving.
Do you need to cook kale for the salad?
Nope, kale can be eaten raw! It’s just best to chop everything really small and remove large stems. Keeping it raw also helps it hold up to the creamy tahini dressing.
what to serve with a kale salad
Kale salads can be paired with so many things. From proteins to grains and citrus to potatoes. Here are some classic dishes to serve with a kale salad.
Lemon Pepper Tofu only takes 4 ingredients and creates a full dinner. Sweet Potato Fries made in the air fryer are the perfect complement to the fresh salad. Quinoa is so easy to mix with a kale salad and adds more protein, turning it into a warm grain bowl.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @liveeatlearn on Facebook or Instagram!
