Kale salad with crispy chickpeas tossed with a tahini lemon dressing is not only delicious, it makes a great presentation. The combination of textures and flavors will make your tastebuds happy.
Who would think a simple kale salad would actually taste good? Well if you toss it with a delicious lemon tahini dressing, add some fresh herbs, then top with some crispy spiced chickpeas, it doesn’t just taste good, it tastes amazing.
MAKE THE CRISPY SPICED CHICKPEAS
This is a simple salad to prepare too and it’s done in stages. First we prepare the chickpeas because they have to roast for at least 30 minutes to become crispy. There’s no need to line the baking sheet with foil or parchment.
Toss the chickpeas with a little oil on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. These spices will make the chickpeas go from ho hum to tasty.
Stick them in the oven and roast them for 30 minutes. Toss them half way through roasting and you are good to go.
While the chickpeas are roasting, massage the kale with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt to soften the texture and add flavor. Oil and salt make greens taste better. Get your hands in there and squeeze and release then repeat.
MAKE THE TAHINI LEMON DRESSING
The tahini lemon dressing is simple to prepare as well. Mix tahini, lemon, garlic, a little olive oil, some salt and pepper and you have a great dressing. You only need a little water to thin to make it pourable.
Add fresh chopped parsley and cilantro to the kale. You can use all parsley if you're not a cilantro fan. In fact, you can add whatever herbs you like. Recipes are just a guideline. Who am I to tell you what to do?
TO ASSEMBLE:
Toss the kale and herbs with some of the dressing then transfer onto a serving platter. Top with the chickpeas and drizzle with more dressing, if desired.
PAIR THIS KALE SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS WITH:
MORE DELICIOUS SALADS:
A simple pistachio gorgonzola and cranberry salad
Grilled peach and arugula salad with blue cheese
Easy mayo-free Mexican street corn salad
Life is too short for mediocre food.
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KALE SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS
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Ingredients
FOR CHICKPEAS:
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas I use GOYA
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
FOR SALAD:
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale washed, stemmed, and dried
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or neutral oil
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
DRESSING:
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 - 3 tablespoons water - to thin
- Kosher salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
ROAST CHICKPEAS:
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- In a bowl, toss the chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss well to evenly coat and transfer onto a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss again and roast for another 10 - 15 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
MEANWHILE, PREPARE KALE:
- Add remaining oil and a pinch of salt into bowl and massage the kale to break it down and soften the texture.
MAKE THE DRESSING:
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Add an additional tablespoon of water to thin the dressing, if needed. Taste and adjust the salt.
ASSEMBLE SALAD:
- Add the fresh herbs to the kale and toss.
- Toss the greens with some of the dressing. Taste and add a pinch of kosher salt to taste. Top with the spiced chickpeas and drizzle with more dressing, if desired.
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