Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Kale salad with tahini dressing and crunchy chickpeas is the ultimate kale salad! This hearty, filling kale chickpea salad is perfect for lunch or dinner and can easily be made as part of your weekly meal prep! The crispy chickpeas and creamy lemon tahini dressing take this ordinary kale salad to the next level!
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make – roast the chickpeas in the oven or air fryer then simply assemble the salad. The dressing is easy to make in a bowl with just a fork and a few minutes.
- Simple ingredients – this tahini kale salad uses mostly pantry staples and is very budget friendly (especially if you have kale growing in the garden). The creamy lemon tahini dressing is made without any dairy or mayo. This kale salad with tahini dressing is vegan, gluten free, dairy free and Whole30 plant based friendly.
- Easy to double or triple for meal prep – kale is so hearty and does well in the fridge for a few days, even with dressing. Make a large batch of this kale tahini salad to enjoy all week long. Just be sure to store the chickpeas on the counter or they will get soft.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas – I recommend using canned chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) to make this salad in under 30 minutes. Always be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas well before roasting. You could also make this with other white beans, they get crispy in the air fryer or oven too but don’t have quite the same texture as crispy roasted chickpeas.
- Olive oil – olive oil is used to coat the chickpeas. This helps the seasoning stick and also helps them get brown and crispy when roasting.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder – these simple seasonings add some flavor to the chickpeas without overpowering them. Use whatever spices you love (see some ideas below on how to change them up).
- Kale – use whatever kale you have on hand. Be sure to shred it finely for the best salad. I like using Lacinato kale (sometimes called Tuscan kale or Dino kale) but curly kale or red kale will work too.
- Tomatoes (cherry or grape are best) – tomatoes add a pop of color to the salad and are slightly sweet and acidic and pair well with the dressing. If you don’t love tomatoes in salad, try roasted red pepper or roasted sweet potatoes.
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Tahini – tahini is a paste made by grinding up sesame seeds (like almond butter). It’s earthy, nutty and has a slight sesame seed flavor. Tahini makes super thick and creamy salad dressing and is one of my favorite ingredients for making creamy sauces. If you cannot have sesame seeds, try unsweetened sunbutter or almond butter.
- Lemon juice – lemon juice gives this dressing the acidic bite it needs to balance out the tahini. Lemon and kale also pair well together. Lemon juice is best but if you don’t have it, try apple cider vinegar.
- Water – water is used to thin out the dressing so that it’s pourable. Use more or less water to make the dressing the consistency you love.
- Salt – salt helps to make all the flavors pop.
How to make kale salad with tahini dressing
Start by making the crispy chickpeas: Use an air fryer or oven to make the roasted chickpeas. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, add them to a bowl with olive oil and spices and stir well. Roast in an air fryer at 375F for 15 minutes (up to 22 minutes for 2 can) or in an oven at 450F for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the chickpeas rest for 15 minutes before using in salad.
While the chickpeas are roasting, finely chop the kale. Start by washing and drying the kale. Remove the thick stem then thinly slice the kale.
Make the lemon tahini dressing by combining the tahini, lemon juice, water and salt in a bowl. Stir well until the tahini is completely combined with the water. Let sit 5 minutes.
Slice the tomatoes in half or into bite size pieces if you are using larger tomatoes.
Assemble the salad – add the kale, tomatoes and lemon tahini dressing to a bowl. Stir well for 1-2 minutes to coat the kale in dressing and start to tenderize the kale (I like to use tongs for this). When the chickpeas are done roasting (and cooling) add them to the salad like croutons and enjoy.
Top tips
- Remove the thick stalk/stems (sometimes called ribs) from the kale before chopping. The stems are fibrous and will make your salad hard to chew. Even if you buy pre-shredded kale from the store, check it for the thick stems and remove them.
- The trick to the crispiest chickpeas: Turn off the oven or air fryer and leave the chickpeas to rest for 5-10 minutes. This helps to crisp the chickpeas and dry out any leftover moisture without the chickpeas burning. Check out all my tips on making the best air fryer chickpeas or roasted chickpeas in the oven.
- For the best texture, chop the kale into thin pieces and take a minute or two to mix the kale with the dressing. The kale being finely chopped and the acid from the lemon juice will help to soften/tenderize the kale.
- To ensure your kale is very tender, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the kale and massage the kale for 1-2 minutes with your hands to start to break down the kale.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter dressing, add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey to the dressing.
Other additions to kale tahini salad
- Nuts – slivered almonds, toasted cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios
- Pickled red onions
- Roasted red peppers
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Roasted veggies: Cauliflower, broccoli, red onions, brussel sprouts
- Cooked quinoa or rice
- Sweetness: Golden raisins, raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped pitted dates
- Cheese: Parmesan or feta (regular or dairy free)
- Additional protein: Air Fryer Salmon Bites, Air Fryer Chicken Bites, Shrimp, Skillet Chicken Cubes, hemp hearts
Other flavors for the roasted chickpeas
The chickpeas in this recipe are coated with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt. This combination pairs well with the lemon tahini dressing. Some other great options would be:
- Smoky – omit the italian seasoning and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
- Za’atar – replace the Italian seasoning with Za’atar seasoning
- Mediterranean – add 1/2 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to the recipe as written
Common questions
What is the best kale for salad
You can use any kale that you have on hand to make this tahini kale salad. I personally love using Lacitino (sometimes called Tuscan or Dino kale). Unlike curly kale, it has very rounded edges and is vey easy to chop.
I have also made this with Red Russian kale and regular curly kale. You can’t go wrong!
Can you make this salad without chickpeas?
The chickpeas add fiber, protein and a crunchy element to the salad that help it feel really balanced and filling. If you don’t have chickpeas or don’t love chickpeas, add something else for protein like white beans, lentils, crispy tofu, chicken, salmon, shrimp, etc. I also recommend adding something crunchy like toasted nuts or homemade croutons.
Can you make this without tahini?
If you don’t have tahini or cannot have sesame seeds, use unsweetened sunflower seed butter, almond butter or cashew butter. These will all give the dressing a slightly different flavor but will all work well.
What if the tahini dressing is too thick?
If you find that the dressing is very thick and hard to pour (this can happen, especially if you use a blender to combine the ingredients), simply add a little more water. Add 1 tablespoon at a time (the dressing will quickly go from too thick to too thin).
Note: Tahini based dressing also gets thicker in the fridge, so if you store the dressing in the fridge, let it sit out for 5 minutes on the counter before deciding if it’s too thick.
What if the lemon tahini dressing is too thin?
If the tahini dressing is too thin, add about 1/2 tablespoon tahini. Stir well then let the dressing rest for a minute or two (it should thicken quickly). If it still isn’t thick, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of tahini and stir it in.
How to make this lemon tahini kale salad in advance
The chickpeas will get soft quickly, especially in the fridge. Because of this I would encourage you to wait and add the chickpeas until right before serving. Roasted chickpeas can be stored on the countertop for up to a week. Be sure to let them cool completely (usually overnight) before storing them in an airtight container.
Kale is a great base for meal prepped salads because it doesn’t get soggy like other more tender greens like lettuce or spinach. You can dress the salad and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Storing leftovers
Fridge: Store leftover salad in the fridge for up to 4 days. Note that the chickpeas will get soft if added to the salad when refrigerated. To keep the crispy texture, wait to add the chickpeas until right before serving. Store them on the counter in an airtight container.
Substitutions
- Chickpeas – use another white bean like cannellini beans or great northern white beans or omit the chickpeas and use another protein (like lentils, beans, tofu, chicken, salmon, shrimp, etc.). Add a different crunchy element like nuts or croutons.
- Olive oil – use avocado oil or melted coconut oil In place of olive oil if needed.
- Spices: See the list above or keep it simple and just use salt.
- Kale – use whatever kind of kale you have on hand. You can also make this salad with regular salad greens or baby spinach; it just won’t hold up well once dressed so serve immediately.
- Tomatoes – replace with roasted red peppers or roasted sweet potatoes to add a little sweetness and color to the salad.
- Tahini – replace the tahini with almond butter, sunbutter or cashew butter.
- Lemon juice – lemon juice is best, but the next best would be apple cider vinegar (about 2 tablespoons).
If you love this recipe, you should try
- Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad
- Cruciferous Crunch Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad
- Cherry Kale Salad
Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale - (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup sliced tomatoes - cherry or grape
Roasted chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas - 15 oz can
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Start by making the chickpeas. Drain and rinse them. Add chickpeas to a bowl with olive oil and spices. Stir well Air fryer – roast at 375F for 15 minutes (22 minutes for 2 cans). Let chickpeas rest for 5 minutes in air fryer basket before opening. Oven: roast at 450F for 25 minutes. Turn off oven and let chickpeas rest in oven 15 minutes.
- Finely chop the kale – wash and dry the kale. Remove the thick stem then finely chop the kale.
- Slice the tomatoes in half (or in bite size pieces).
- Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a bowl and stirring well until all tahini is well combined. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add kale and tomatoes to bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss 1-2 minutes to coat the kale well.
- When chickpeas are done roasting (and cooling slightly) add them to the salad and serve.
Equipment
- Air fryer optional
Notes
- Serve 2 as a meal or 4 as a starter/appetizer.
- Remove the thick stalk/stems (sometimes called ribs) from the kale before chopping. The stems are fibrous and will make your salad hard to chew. Even if you buy pre-shredded kale from the store, check it for the thick stems and remove them.
- The trick to the crispiest chickpeas: Turn off the oven or air fryer and leave the chickpeas to rest for 5-10 minutes. This helps to crisp the chickpeas and dry out any leftover moisture without the chickpeas burning. Check out all my tips on making the best air fryer chickpeas or roasted chickpeas in the oven.
- For the best texture, chop the kale into thin pieces and take a minute or two to mix the kale with the dressing. The kale being finely chopped and the acid from the lemon juice will help to soften/tenderize the kale.
- To ensure your kale is very tender, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the kale and massage the kale for 1-2 minutes with your hands to start to break down the kale.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter dressing, add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey to the dressing
Sounds really tasty. I’m definitely gonna try thius.
Sounds delicious. I shall definitely try it. Thanks.