This Tahini Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas is one you need to try!
The lemon tahini dressing makes it super creamy and it's a salad that will fill you up too. It's also full of different textures which keeps you going back for more with each mouthful!
If you’re like me and you love to meal prep lunch for the week, this is right up your alley! Kale doesn't get soggy unlike lettuce, so it keeps great for days!
This creamy Tahini Kale Salad is also vegan and gluten-free so everyone can enjoy it!
Fun fact, this exact same salad was the first recipe I became obsessed with when I started eating more plant based a few years ago. I started experimenting with different legumes and Crispy Chickpeas became my favourite thing!
Some other salads you will love and great for meal prep too are my Quinoa Salad and Shirazi Salad!
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Ingredients to make Tahini Kale Salad
- Kale is a cruciferous vegetable and used for the base of the salad. Its high in fibre, antioxidants and full of nutrients. If you’re not a huge fan of kale, spinach will be great too. I would suggest dressing the salad on the day you will be eating it
- Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans are a great vegan protein source. They are seasoned and roasted which makes them crispy and so yummy! Here is a longer recipe to making crispy chickpeas
- Sweet potatoes are high in fibre, potassium, antioxidants and vitamins. They are roasted at the same time as the chickpeas and bring a beautiful sweetness. As a substitute, you can also use roasted pumpkin which I regularly do too
- Cucumbers bring a lovely freshness to the salad. I always prefer using Persian cucumbers or Lebanese cucumbers as they are more crisp and have more flavor
- Tahini is a thick paste made from ground up sesame seeds. Its full of nutrients and healthy fats and makes the most creamiest dressing which is also dairy free! You can purchase them hulled or unhulled. I always prefer purchasing organic tahini which only uses sesame seeds as the only ingredient. You can purchase Tahini at any health food or grocery store
- Lemon juice is used to make the creamy lemon tahini dressing which works so well with these flavors. Fresh lemons are preferred
- Extra virgin olive oil is used throughout the recipe for both massaging the kale along with seasoning the roasted veggies
- Pickled red onion are one of my favourite things to add on salads and sandwiches. They not only look great, but they give a little zingy taste which works so well in this salad
- For spices, I’ve used smoked paprika and garlic powder to season the chickpeas. You can also add chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and cumin
If you prefer some sweetness in the salad, you can add maple syrup to the dressing or also dried cranberries too. Nuts and seeds are also great additions to this chopped kale salad.
How to make Tahini Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven
Set to 200°C/400°F
- Prepare chickpeas and sweet potatoes
Dice sweet potatoes into small bite-sized pieces and place on one side of a baking tray
Drain a can of chickpeas, dry them and place on the other side of the baking tray
Season all with olive oil, salt and pepper. Season the chickpeas with paprika and garlic powder and mix with your hands
- Time to bake
Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden and crispy. Tip, leave only the chickpeas in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes with the temperature off to get them super crispy
- Make the dressing
Add tahini, lemon juice and salt to a small bowl. Start with 3 tablespoons of cold water and whisk or blend together until it's a nice creamy tahini dressing. If it seems too thick, add another tablespoon of water. Always start with less as you can keep adding more if needed and taste along the way
- Chop Kale
Remove kale leaves from the stem and chop kale leaves very finely and place them in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and with your hands massage the oil into the leaves
- Assemble and serve
Add the cooked sweet potatoes and diced cucumbers. Pour over the dressing and toss it well together so everything is nicely coated
Top with the crispy chickpeas, garnish with pickled onions and its ready to be eaten as a main or as a side dish!
Tips for Ultimate Kale Salad
- Chop the kale finely. Trust me, it makes the biggest difference!
- Massage olive oil into the kale is important. It helps soften the kale so the texture isn’t brittle
- Keep chickpeas in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes after they’ve been cooked and the oven is turned off. This will dry them out even more and will get them extra crispy. Here are more tips on making the crispy chickpeas
- Start with 3 spoons of cold water and whisk when making the tahini dressing. It should be a runny yet creamy consistency. If it’s too thick, then slowly add more water until you get the perfect consistency
- Add a little drizzle of olive oil if you’re not eating the salad on the same day, as tahini does dry up a little. This will loosen it up before eating to make it creamier
FAQs
As kale doesn't get soggy, the salad can keep great for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container
Tahini does dry up a little though, so if you’re not eating it on that same day, you may need a little drizzle of olive oil to loosen it up before eating to make it creamier
The chickpeas are most crispy on the same day. I'm afraid after that, they lose their crunch but are still yummy to eat in the salad. I usually make an extra batch of chickpeas to add fresh into the salad when eating it for a few days
More Salad Recipes
- Kani Salad
- Rocket Pear and Parmesan Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Healthy Tuna Salad
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to tag @cookingwithayeh and share your Tahini Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas photo on Instagram so I can share the love.
Recipe
Tahini Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 600 g sweet potatoes
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 160 g kale leaves
- 2 Persian or Lebanese cucumbers
- Salt and pepper
Dressing
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1 ½ lemons
- 3-4 tablespoon cold water
- Salt
Garnish
- Pickled onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F
- Dice sweet potatoes into small bite sized cubes and place on one side of a baking tray
- Drain a can of chickpeas, dry them and place on the other side of the baking tray
- Season all with olive oil, salt and pepper. Season the chickpeas with paprika and garlic powder and mix with your hands
- Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden and crispy. Tip, leave only chickpeas in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes with the temperature off to get them super crispy. Here are more tips
- To make the dressing, add tahini, lemon juice and salt to a small bowl. Start with 3 tablespoons of cold water and whisk together well until its runny but still creamy. If it seems too thick, add another tablespoon of water. Always start with less as you can keep adding more if needed
- Chop the kale leaves very finely and place in a large salad bowl. Add tablespoon of olive oil and massage the oil with your hands into the kale leaves
- Add the cooked sweet potatoes and diced cucumbers to the salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss it well together so everything is nicely coated. Top with the crispy chickpeas, garnish with pickled onions and its ready to be eaten as a main or side dish!
Natalie
this has become our fave kale salad !! i dont usually have tahini at home but as soon as i saw this recipe, i went and grabbed the biggest jar available - i knew the family would love this. so versatile and easy to prepare. since kale doesn't get soggy, this salad can be prepared in stages - super convenient ! I also added some roasted beets to the salad and lemon zest to the dressing
Ayeh
This made me so happy to hear lovely!! Love that you also added beets, they looked so good!