Kale and Crispy Chickpea Salad (Vegan!)
This cozy salad features hearty kale, warmly spiced chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and a lemon-tahini dressing. It's protein-rich and so delicious. Serve it as an entrée, side salad, or holiday dish!
Servings: 3 large salads
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale*
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes**
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 batch Smoky Roasted Chickpeas
For the lemon-tahini dressing:
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. tahini
- 1 Tbsp. tamari (or more to taste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Make the smoky roasted chickpeas. (Follow the link above in the ingredients.)
- Meanwhile, chop the kale (large stems removed). Place in a large bowl. Lightly massage with your hands for a minute to help tenderize.
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sunflower seeds to the kale.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl or jar, add all dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine. Pour it over the salad and toss to evenly coat.
- When the chickpeas are done roasting, add to the salad bowl and lightly toss to combine. (You can use all of the chickpeas, or reserve some for sprinkling on top after the salad is tossed and plated.)
- Garnish with an extra sprinkle of sunflower seeds before serving if desired.
Notes
*Kale: I find one large bunch is about 5-6 cups chopped.
**For oil-free: Use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed in the jar.
Other additions: Include vegan feta cheese crumbles, sliced red onion, roasted sweet potato, roasted beets, green onions, diced avocado, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, or whatever else sounds good.
Yield: Recipe makes about 5-6 cups salad. (I find this is about 3 larger entrée salads, or about 6 side salads.)
Recipe originally published December 2016. Updated August 2024.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 380 kcal | Carbohydrates: 53 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g | Potassium: 1086 mg | Fiber: 15 g | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 3654 IU | Vitamin C: 48 mg | Calcium: 194 mg | Iron: 7 mg
