Crunchy, tangy and just a bit addictive! This Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing is one of those moreish salad meals that you will want to come back to over and over. Roasted crunchy chickpeas and loads of creamy lemon tahini dressing keep this hearty green salad full of bite and delicious down to the last morsel.
Kale salad might seem like a vegan cliche, but don't let that put you off trying this flavour bomb of a salad! It's the perfect pick-me-up in winter when you want something fresh and green as a palate cleanser after lots of rich food.
What's more, it's packed with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals in the form of kale, creamy tahini (sesame) and of course, the crispy chickpeas! The lemony, tahini dressing is so good, you'll want to make extra.
I like to eat this salad on it's own, or pair with a Lentil and Tomato Soup, or maybe some Beetroot & Lentil Burgers for a bigger meal. If you can't get enough of crunchy salads-that-are-meals, you should also try my Vegan Caesar Salad or this hearty Veggie Chicken Salad. Alternatively if you want a salad with a bit more zing and spice, this Vegan Chickpea Salad has coconut, chili and coriander leaf (cilantro).
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🌿Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this delicious kale salad: Check the recipe card on the bottom of the post for all quantities.
For the Salad
- Kale- choose curly Kale, cavolo nero ( also known as tuscan kale, dinosaur kale and black kale) or any kale leaf you like! The key is to make sure it's fresh and bouncy. Kale is particularly good in Autumn (fall), Winter and early spring as it's a crop that grows well in the cold (even under snow!)
- Lemon- Fresh lemon juice is used to massage the kale and soften the leaves.
- Carrots- I like a few fresh crunchy carrot pieces in with my salad. These are optional!
- Green/Spring Onions-for a bit of tang and zing.
- Radish- Optional, but I love the crunch that radishes bring.
For the Roasted Chickpeas
- Chickpeas- Pre-cooked, tinned or jarred chickpeas are needed to make the crunchy roasted chickpeas.
- Smoked Paprika- I love how the smoked paprika brings a lovely smokey flavour, it really goes well with the tahini dressing.
- Flakey Sea Salt- season to taste.
- Olive Oil- A teeny smidge of olive oil helps the chickpeas roast.
- Chilli Flakes- Optional, but good if you like heat.
- White Pepper- adds a little depth of spiced flavour. You can also use black pepper.
Tahini Dressing Ingredients
- Tahini- Tahini is a paste made of sesame seeds that have been ground up. It should not contain any other ingredients. Make sure to mix it well in the jar as it often separates.
- Lemon- The juice of a whole fresh lemon adds tang and brightness.
- Agave or Maple Syrup- a few drops of sweetness balances the flavour of the dressing.
- Garlic- a small fresh garlic clove, or a smidge of jarred. You can omit, or add less according to how much of a garlic lover you are.
- Cumin- Cumin adds warmth and depth to the dressing.
- Flakey Sea Salt- A pinch of salt to season to taste.
- A little warm water- add just enough to loosen the dressing to be able to drizzle it.
👩🍳Instructions
Follow these steps for the perfect tahini kale salad!
1. First, wash your kale leaves thoroughly so no gritty bits remain. Remove the hard stalks and chop. Then squeeze over half a lemon and really massage the chopped kale well with the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle the drained, cooked chickpeas with olive oil and seasonings and mix. Bake at 180C /350F for 35 mins or Air fry at the same temperature for 15 mins until crunchy.
3. Crush the garlic clove, and mix the tahini sauce ingredients together. Add extra water to make a drizzle-able dressing.
4. Assemble the Kale Tahini salad in a large bowl and mix well.
Hint: Make sure to REALLY wash the kale, especially if it is the curly variety. You don't want any gritty bits in your salad. I like to put mine in a basin with water, wash it, remove the kale, then tip the water. That way any grit falls to the bottom of the basin, and doesn't get tipped back onto the kale.
🌶Substitutions and Variations
This vegan salad can be switched up according to what you have available.
- Different Leafy Greens-choose cabbage, red kale, or brussel sprout tops or spring greens. I often use the greens chopped from my own broccoli patch. If you use lettuce or spinach however, do not massage with the lemon juice.
- Other Beans- Roasted white beans like cannellini or butter beans make a delicious alternative to chickpeas.
- Vinagrette- swap the lemony tahini dressing for a zippy vinagrette. My husband actually prefers the salad this way. Mix together Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, Olive Oil, a little salt and a dab of sweetener such as maple syrup.
- Fruit- Pomegranate seeds, little bits of apple or pear would all be a delicious sweet addition.
- Other crunchy seeds or nuts: Toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts or pinenuts.
- Other Crunchy Veggies- Choose the crunchy veggies you like to add to this salad. Cucumber, sugar snap peas, mange tout are all delicious.
- Add Roasted Veggies: Roasted butternut squash, onions, sweet potatoes or red peppers all pair beautifully with this salad.
🔪Equipment
A good sharp knife makes preparing salads (and everything else) so much better. I adore my Robert Welch knife. Don't forget to get a knife sharpener too! You'll also need a cutting board and a jar or small bowl to mix up the creamy dressing in. You'll also need a large serving bowl to serve!
🥫Storage
Once the salad is mixed up, it needs eating that day. However you can prepare all the separate ingredients, and assemble as needed. The kale/other veggies will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The tahini salad dressing for up to 2 weeks in the fridge (I like to make extra so I can use it on other salads)
🍋Top Tip!
The key to making the kale delicious and removing the bitterness of the kale is really massaging it well with lemon juice. The lemon juice breaks down the cell walls of the kale, making it softer and easier to eat and digest. You can also use cider vinegar to achieve the same effect.
❓FAQ
Massaging the kale really well with lemon juice breaks down the kale cell walls and removes some of the bitter flavor. It also makes it softer and easier to eat.
You can keep the already massaged kale for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. This makes it excellent for meal prep as you just have to assemble the salad when ready to eat.
No, to make the kale easier to eat, just massage with lemon juice.
📖 Recipe
Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing & Roasted Chickpeas
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer optional
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
For the Kale Salad
- 200 g (3 cups) kale
- 25 ml (¼ cups) lemon juice (approx the juice of ½ a lemon)
- 50 g (½ cups) carrot (one medium carrot)
- 50 g (½ cups) radish (about 8 radishes)
- 25 g (¼ cups) green onions (2-3 green onions)
For the Roasted Chickpeas
- 250 g cooked chickpeas (garbanzos) (equivilant to one standard can/tin, drained.)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
For the Tahini Dressing
- 4 tablespoon tahini
- 1 clove garlic
- 45 ml lemon juice (around the juice of one medium lemon. )
- ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon maple syrup (or other sweetener such as date or agave syrup.)
- 2 tablespoon warm water (or more as needed to thin the dressing)
Instructions
- Wash the kale really well, and remove the hard stems. Chop into 1-2 " pieces.200 g kale
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon, then in bowl, massage the kale with the lemon juice, really giving it a good rub with your hands.25 ml lemon juice
- Leave the massaged kale to one side while you get on with everything else.
- Finely chop the radishes, peel and dice the carrots and spring/onions.50 g carrot, 50 g radish, 25 g green onions
Make the Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
- Toss the chickpeas in the oil and seasonings and roast.250 g cooked chickpeas (garbanzos)
- Either air fry the chickpeas for 15-17 minutes at 180C °/365F, or oven bake for up to 25 minutes also at 180C °/365F until crunchy,.1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, ½ teaspoon white pepper
Make the Tahini Dressing
- Very finely chop the garlic until it is a paste.1 clove garlic
- Mix all the dressing ingredients together. You will find that the tahini might become quite stiff, add a little extra water until mixed.4 tablespoon tahini, 45 ml lemon juice, ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoon warm water
- Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning to your own tastes.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, assemble the kale, chickpeas, crunchy vegetables and mix together with the tahini dressing.
- Serve extra tahini dressing on the side to drizzle as needed.
Notes
- Different Greens-choose cabbage, red kale, or brussel sprout tops or spring greens. I often use the greens chopped from my own broccoli patch. If you use lettuce or spinach however, do not massage with the lemon juice.
- Other Beans- Roasted Cannellini or Butter beans make a delicious alternative to chickpeas.
- Vinagrette- swap the lemony tahini dressing for a zippy vinagrette. My husband actually prefers the salad this way. Mix together Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, a little salt and a dab of sweetener such as maple syrup.
- Fruit- Pomegranate seeds, little bits of apple or pear would all be a delicious sweet addition.
- Other Crunchy Veggies- Choose the crunchy veggies you like to add to this salad. Cucumber, sugar snap peas, mange tout are all delicious.
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