This tahini kale salad is packed with flavor from the creamy tahini dressing, made extra special with crispy chickpeas. Kale tahini salad comes together in minutes, with really simple ingredients and an easy way to guarantee kale that isn’t too chewy. Healthy and good for you, this is a great way to get some more greens in your diet with a little bit of a twist.
Jump to:
- Why should I make this kale salad with tahini dressing?
- Ingredients in tahini kale salad:
- How to make kale tahini salad:
- How to make the best spice roasted chickpeas:
- What to top a kale chickpea salad with:
- How to make this salad in advance:
- Expert tips:
- Recipe FAQs:
- For more salad recipes:
- Tahini Kale Salad
Why should I make this kale salad with tahini dressing?
It’s SUPER healthy. Kale is really low in calories and carbs, and high in vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, K, B6, and C.
Tahini has selenium which naturally lowers inflammation in the body. Chickpeas are a good source of vegetarian protein. Kale and chickpea salad is a filling salad that can sub in for a meal, and is so good for you.
This is a really easy salad, with barely any chopping (the most time consuming part of salad making!) It will come together in a flash.
Ingredients in tahini kale salad:
Kale: any type you prefer, you’ll massage it and it’ll tenderize the kale
Olive oil
Dressing ingredients: lemon juice, tahini, garlic, dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup if vegan), salt and pepper.
For the crispy chickpeas: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin powder, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and a can of chickpeas (drained, rinsed and patted dry).
How to make kale tahini salad:
- Chop the kale into bite sized pieces, place in a bowl, massage it for a few minutes by adding a little olive oil and lemon juice and rubbing it with your fingertips for a few minutes. This will soften up the kale a little so it isn’t so tough and chewy. It also infuses it with flavor!
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, honey, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth.
- Place the kale onto your serving dish, then top with crispy chickpeas and drizzle the tahini dressing on top.
How to make the best spice roasted chickpeas:
- Mix together all your spices, then add them a bowl containing the chickpeas that have been patted dry. Toss well to combine.
- Make these either in an air fryer or in the oven. To make these in an air fryer: Add the chickpeas to the air fryer basket. Cook at 350F for 15-20 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes. The chickpeas are done cooking when they are crispy, dry, and golden brown. For oven roasted chickpeas: If making in an oven, preheat oven to 400F (200C), spread in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and oven roast 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes.
What to top a kale chickpea salad with:
This would be great with roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
Some feta cheese makes for a natural pairing.
Dried cranberries would add a nice little sweetness to the salad, or you can add pomegranate seeds.
For some extra protein, add some cooked salmon or grilled chicken.
How to make this salad in advance:
Make the dressing and store in the fridge for 2-3 days in a separate container. The marinated kale will also store well for a day or two. Crispy chickpeas will last at room temperature for at least a week. Assemble right before serving!
Expert tips:
- Make this salad your own! Add any cheese you like, roasted vegetables, protein, etc.
- Taste and adjust! This is a really flavorful garlicky dressing, but go with just one clove of garlic if you like the flavor to be more subtle.
- If you aren’t the biggest kale fan, feel free to use half kale and half mixed lettuce or some other salad green.
Recipe FAQs:
The key is removing the ribs from the kale, chopping it into bite sized pieces, and massaging it for a few minutes with lemon juice and olive oil.
Just keep whisking! The lemon juice will loosen it up, but you can also add a tiny splash of cold water.
They really do add a lot of flavor, but yes you can. Try substituting cooked lentils instead for some protein!
For more salad recipes:
Tahini Kale Salad
Ingredients
- big bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into bite sized pieces 6oz, 150g
- 4 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice, divided
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1-2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the crispy chickpeas:
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can chickpeas, drained 400 g, rinsed and patted dry
Instructions
For the salad and dressing:
- Start off by adding the kale to a large bowl, and adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Massage the kale for a good few minutes to soften it up.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining olive oil (3 tbsp) and lemon juice (2 tbsp) with the tahini, minced garlic, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. If the dressing seems too thick, add a splash of water.
- Add the massaged kale to the base of your serving dish. Top with the crispy chickpeas (steps below) and drizzle the tahini dressing evenly on top. I ate this as is but you can add anything else you like-cheese, dates, dried cranberries, anything goes!
For the crispy chickpeas:
- For oven roasted chickpeas: If making in an oven, preheat oven to 400F (200C), spread in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and oven roast 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes.
- For air fryer chickpeas: Preheat air fryer to 350F (180C). Add all the chickpeas to the air fryer basket. Cook for 15-20 minutes in the air fryer, shaking every 5 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
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