Description
This Massaged Kale Chickpea Salad is my new favorite kale salad! Coated in a lemon vinaigrette with spiced roasted chickpeas and chopped pistachios, it’s perfect as a side salad or loaded up with your favorite protein and other add-ins for a main dish salad. Naturally vegan & gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
For the salad
- 2 medium bunches lacinato kale, sometimes called dino kale; washed, destemmed, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup roasted salted pistachios, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
For the chickpeas
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, can be canned or cooked fresh, if using canned I’d just make the whole can and have extra to snack on
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
For the lemon vinaigrette
-
¼ cup lemon juice, plus the zest of one lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon tahini
-
⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or parmesan
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the salad
- Add your rinsed and finely chopped kale to a salad bowl. Drizzle with about half of the dressing, and use your hands to massage the kale well for a few minutes. It should soften a lot, and when tasted, it shouldn’t be too fibrous or firm. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad – it will continue to soften from the salt and lemon juice in the dressing.
- Add the pistachios, diced avocado, and roasted chickpeas to the salad. Toss to combine and serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan (vegan or not depending on your dietary habits), if desired.
- Serve as is as a side salad or a main salad. You can also add your favorite protein to bulk it up further, or add roasted vegetables – I love adding roasted potatoes or roasted broccoli to this salad!
For the chickpeas
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drain, rinse and dry off the chickpeas on a paper towel. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the spices. Mix until coated, and then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
For the lemon vinaigrette
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice and zest, grated garlic, and tahini or dijon. Blend or whisk to emulsify.
- Slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking the whole time, to emulsify it into the lemon juice mixture. If using a jar, you can also just close the lid and shake well to emulsify. It should thicken slightly. Add the nutritional yeast or parmesan, salt & pepper, and any additional seasonings. Taste and adjust as needed before using.