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    The Yummy Bowl » Recipes » Salads

    Chickpea Kale Salad Recipe With Lemon Tahini Dressing

    Mar 21, 2023 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Julia | The Yummy Bowl · This post contains paid affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    This delicious kale salad with zesty lemon dressing is an easy salad that can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light meal for lunch and dinner when combined with these protein-packed Air Fryer Chickpeas!

    Healthy eating couldn't be easier when including hearty kale and other fresh produce in this type of side salad. Top this delicious salad with nuts and seeds, dried fruit, and cheese!

    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    ⭐ Looking for more hearty salad recipes? Try our Cobb Salad, Avocado Chickpea Salad, or Mediterranean Salmon Salad.

    Jump To
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recommended Equipment
    • Tips
    • Is raw kale good for salads?
    • Storing Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Easy Kale Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments
    kale salad drizzled with tahini dressing

    Ingredients

    My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!

    The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.

    kale salad and lemon tahini dressing ingredients

    Kale Salad

    • Kale - Wash and rinse the kale to remove any remaining dirt from the leaves. I’ve used curly kale, but you could also use another type of kale, such as Lacinato kale (also known as Tuscan kale and Dinosaur kale).
    • Olive oil - good quality extra virgin olive oil
    • Lemon - or lime juice, or orange.
    • Salt and black pepper
    • Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. 
    • Carrot - Julienned (sliced into thin strips).
    • Bell pepper - I’ve used thinly sliced red bell pepper. You could also use green or yellow bell pepper in this salad. 
    • Crispy chickpeas - Check out my Easy Air Fryer Chickpeas recipe to learn how to make delicious crispy chickpeas.  

    Lemon Tahini Dressing

    • Tahini - You can buy Tahini paste or make it from home yourself. 
    • Honey - Maple syrup is a good alternative. 
    • Mustard - I’ve used dijon mustard for this dressing. 
    • Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
    • Olive oil - I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil.
    • Pinch of salt 
    • Black Pepper - I’ve used lemon pepper

    For Serving

    • Dried cranberries - Consider adding other fruit (dried or fresh). Honeycrisp apples provide sweetness to this delicious 
    • Hemp seeds - You can also use sunflower seeds.
    • Crushed pecans
    • Salty parmesan cheese shavings - Goat cheese is another get cheese topping for this Tuscan kale salad.

    Instructions

    Make my recipe for air fryer chickpeas. You’ll need half of the recipe.

    air fryer crispy chickpeas in a bowl

    In a large bowl combine kale, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoon olive oil.

    Massage the kale for 5 minutes. Arrange the kale in serving bowl. Set aside.

    kale in a bowl

    Combine tahini dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until creamy. Let flavors marinate for 10 minutes in the fridge.

    Transfer kale to serving bowl/platter and add carrots, bell peppers, chickpeas.

    lemon tahini dressing in the making

    Drizzle with tahini dressing and top with pecans, cranberries, hemp seeds, parmesan.

    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    You can leave it as is or toss the kale in tahini dressing before serving. Enjoy!

    Recommended Equipment

    • Salad dressing whisk and small bowls or jars
    • Julienne slicer or Mandoline - for carrots
    • Measuring cups and spoons
    • Airtight Food containers
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Air Fryer Cosori - mine is 5.8 quart
    • Air Fryer Basket Liner

    Tips

    • Always choose fresh kale with firm and crispy leaves. Kale with wilted or yellow leaves should be avoided; otherwise, the overall taste and texture of the salad will be negatively affected. 
    • I’ve air fried my chickpeas for a crispy exterior. You can also roast the chickpeas by coating them in oil and seasoning and then spreading them on a baking sheet to bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes or until crispy and golden. 
    • Additional topping options include creamy avocado, crispy bacon, black beans, fresh fruit, and crumbled feta cheese.
    • Allowing the salad to sit for a few minutes is a great way to allow all the flavors to blend. 
    • Other salad ingredients for this raw kale salad could include red cabbage, Granny Smith sweet apple, and red onion.  

    📋 JULIA'S TIP Kale is naturally tough and bitter. You could massage the leaves gently to break down the fibers and soften the leaves.

    Is raw kale good for salads?

    Absolutely! Raw kale is considered a superfood with many health benefits. Kale provides various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While kale is naturally bitter in taste and tough in texture, those attributes can be “softened” by massaging the leaves with olive oil or lemon juice before adding it to the rest of the salad ingredients.

    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    Storing Instructions

    This salad will taste fresh and juicy once made. I don't recommend storing in for later.

    FAQs

    What is tahini dressing made of?

    Tahini dressing is made from tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, lemon juice, seasoning, oil, aromatics such as garlic, and other ingredients that will enhance the flavor of the dressing, such as honey and mustard.

    How do you make kale salad less bitter?

    This easy kale salad can be made less bitter by gently massing the kale leaves, removing the kale stems from the leaves, and combining the kale with ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, and salt. The lemon tahini dressing in this recipe also includes honey which adds sweetness to offset the potential bitterness from the kale.

    How many days does kale salad last?

    This type of salad can last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Just like most green salads, this kale salad includes ingredients that can start to wilt or become soggy the longer the salad is stored.

    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    Easy Kale Recipes

    For more sides hop on to our Salad recipe archives.

    • Lemon Kale Caesar Salad with chicken in a white bowl
      Healthy Lemon Kale Caesar Salad With Chicken
    • clear chicken soup with kale and vegetables in a black pot
      Gluten Free Chicken Soup With Kale
    • Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Kale Tacos (Vegan)
      Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Kale Tacos (Vegan)

    💗I hope you'll enjoy this easy kale salad recipe, please leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo of your food and tag me on Instagram @theyummy_bowl. I love seeing your creations! 💗

    Happy Cooking,

    Love,

    Julia

    I would appreciate it so much if you left a comment about this recipe below! Subscribe to join the TYB newsletter and receive free recipes straight to your inbox! Let's connect via Facebook, IG & Pinterest!

    Recipe

    kale salad with lemon tahini dressing in a serving bowl

    Chickpea Kale Salad Recipe With Lemon Tahini Dressing

    This delicious kale salad with zesty lemon dressing is an easy salad that can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light meal for lunch and dinner when combined with these protein-packed Air Fryer Chickpeas!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin
    Author: Julia | The Yummy Bowl
    Course: Salad
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 324kcal

    INGREDIENTS

    Kale Salad

    • 6 oz curly kale (about 5-6 cups, washed, rinsed )
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt and black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
    • ½ cup carrot ( julienned)
    • ¼ cup red bell pepper (sliced thin)
    • 1 ½ cup crispy chickpeas

    Lemon Tahini Dressing

    • ¼ cup tahini
    • 2 teaspoon honey
    • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt
    • black pepper (I used lemon pepper)

    For Serving

    • 1 ½ tablespoon dried cranberries
    • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
    • 2 tablespoon crushed pecans
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese shavings (or nutritional yeast, optional)

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Make my recipe for air fryer chickpeas. You’ll need half of the recipe.
    • In a large bowl combine kale, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoon olive oil. Massage the kale for 5 minutes. Arrange the kale in serving bowl. Set aside.
    • Combine tahini dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until creamy. Let flavors marinate for 10 minutes in the fridge.
    • Transfer kale to serving bowl/platter and add carrots, bell peppers, chickpeas.
    • Drizzle with tahini dressing and top with pecans, cranberries, hemp seeds, parmesan.
    • You can leave it as is or toss the kale in tahini dressing before serving. Enjoy!
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    NOTES

    • Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
    • Always choose fresh kale with firm and crispy leaves. Kale with wilted or yellow leaves should be avoided; otherwise, the overall taste and texture of the salad will be negatively affected.
    • Kale is naturally tough and bitter. You could massage the leaves gently to break down the fibers and soften the leaves.
    • How do you make kale salad less bitter? This easy kale salad can be made less bitter by gently massing the kale leaves, removing the kale stems from the leaves, and combining the kale with ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, and salt.
    • The lemon tahini dressing in this recipe also includes honey which adds sweetness to offset the potential bitterness from the kale.

    PRIVATE NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.
    Nutrition Facts
    Chickpea Kale Salad Recipe With Lemon Tahini Dressing
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 324 Calories from Fat 216
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 24g37%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
    Monounsaturated Fat 13g
    Cholesterol 3mg1%
    Sodium 126mg5%
    Potassium 263mg8%
    Carbohydrates 16g5%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 7g14%
    Vitamin A 5836IU117%
    Vitamin C 46mg56%
    Calcium 176mg18%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

    « Easy Air Fryer Chickpeas (Crispy!)
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    Comments

    1. Julia | The Yummy Bowl

      March 22, 2023 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      Enjoy a delicious crunchy salad with fresh kale, roasted chickpeas, nuts and cranberries.

      Reply

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    I'm Julia and welcome to The Yummy Bowl. I share easy and healthy recipes for the whole family. Everything you see here is Gluten-free and mostly made with whole food ingredients. Hope you enjoy! Love, Julia

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