Fall Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing & Crispy Chickpeas
This yummy vegan salad is hearty enough for a meal and delicious enough to work as a side dish for any number of tasty dishes—classic Thanksgiving or not. Adapted from Minimalist Baker.
Ingredients
Tandoori Chickpeas
- 1 15oz Can of Chickpeas drained
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Tandoori Spice Mix recipe below
Roasted Garlic Tahini Dressing
- 1 head Garlic roasted
- ¼ C Tahini
- ¼ C Olive Oil
- ¼ C Lemon Juice from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest from one lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1-3 teaspoon Hot Water as needed to thin dressing
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
To Assemble
- 12 oz Kale stems removed, chopped roughly
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 1-2 tablespoon Olive Oil
Tandoori Spice Blend
- 2 tablespoon Hot Smoked Paprika mix all ingredients together!
- 2 tablespoon Coriander
- 2 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Cardamom
- 1 tablespoon Cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil and tandoori spice mix. Spread on a Silpat or parchment lined sheet pan for easy clean up. Roast at 375F for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Chickpeas should be crunchy when they are done.
- Roast head or garlic with a teaspoon of olive oil. To roast, cut off the top of the garlic to expose all cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, then wrap in foil. Roast for 45 minutes in same oven as chickpeas. Cloves will be soft to the touch and golden brown when done.
- Remove all roasted garlic cloves from skins. Add remaining salad dressing ingredients together in a glass, then blend with an immersion blender. Add hot water as necessary to thin the dressing to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add kale and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Massage for 5-6 minutes to soften the kale. Toss with salad dressing and top with crispy chickpeas. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will have a lot of leftover Tandoori Spice Mix - keep it in an airtight container for up to 6 months and use to season chicken, fish, tofu or veggies!
- The roasted garlic tahini dressing for kale salad should last about a week in the refrigerator.
- The massaged kale is also super sturdy, so this is a great recipe for meal prep. But, if possible, keep the chickpeas separate—they’ll lose their crisp if you add them with the dressing. Tossed kale salad will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- The chickpeas have a tendency to become a little stale over time and are best the day they are made. That said, they'll last for 3-4 days at room temperature in a sealed container or zip-top bag—longer with the aid of a silica packet. To recrisp, warm in a 200-250ºF toaster oven or oven, or dry pan over low heat.
- Leftover Idea. The tossed salad also makes for an excellent stir fry. Add a bit of sesame oil to your frying oil to highlight the tahini flavor. Chili crisp is yummy, too.
- Sesame-Free. Can’t do sesame seeds? Try using sunflower seed butter instead. Can’t do any nuts or seeds at all? Instead of making a creamy dressing, swap in Ina’s zesty lemon vinaigrette instead.
- Extra Quick Salad - Don't have much time? Take a shortcut or few! Get chopped kale pieces instead of whole; use a store-bought spice mix (I love Spicewalla’s tandoori seasoning) OR make it even easier by using store-bought crispy chickpeas; swap in your favorite bottled salad dressing.
- Air Fryer Chickpeas - To shorten the roasting time, let your air fryer help. Place the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Air fry at 375-385ºF for about 11-15 minutes depending on your machine and preferred level of doneness.
- Chickpea Seasonings - Even on days when I have absolutely zero intentions of eating a salad, these roasted chickpeas are one of my favorite go-tos. I eat them by the handful, use them to top soup, or add crunch to anything. Don’t feel limited by tandoori—try using chili or taco seasoning, your favorite BBQ rub, ranch seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, you name it! You could also keep it simple with salt and pepper. Or go sweet with cinnamon sugar! Seriously. Have fun.
- Fall Harvest Salad Add-Ons - Feel free to take this fall salad next level with extra goodies. Roasted cubes of butternut squash, thin slices of honeycrisp apples, candied pecans or crunchy almonds (preferably sliced and toasted), goat cheese or feta, toasted sesame seeds, crunchy sunflower seeds, sharp red onion or tangy red onion pickles—this is your canvas. Paint yourself a bounty!
Nutrition
Calories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 1787mgPotassium: 479mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 7207IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!