This kale salad recipe is hearty enough to be a meal on its own. It’s packed with crispy roasted chickpeas and a variety of vegetables. Then it’s finished with creamy cashew dressing.
Plus, kale keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Perfect for make ahead lunches & dinners!
With roasted chickpeas and a creamy cashew salad dressing, this salad is a full meal on its own.
Satiating chickpeas, garlicky dressing, and the vegetables of your choice make it a winner of a lunch or dinner.
Kale is an ideal leafy green for meal planning.
Because it’s a hearty green, it doesn’t wilt in the same way that spinach or romaine does. You can even dress it ahead of time.
In this post:
Why readers love this recipe
“It was great!” – Robert
Roasted chickpeas
The roasted chickpeas give the salad an extra boost of staying power.
They are best hot out of the oven or air fryer.
But I still enjoy them cold out of the refrigerator too.
Keep in mind, though, they won’t have the same crispness and crunch post-refrigeration.
Creamy cashew dressing
For the salad dressing, I recommend creamy cashew salad dressing.
It’s a full-bodied dressing that really stands up to the strong flavor of kale.
The dressing is filled with the tastes of garlic and cilantro.
But if you’re not a cilantro fan, feel free to leave it out, or serve it with vegan ranch dressing instead.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Start by making a batch of roasted chickpeas in the oven or air fryer with seasonings.
Then make a batch of creamy cashew dressing in a high speed blender.
Finally, use your hands to massage chopped kale in a large mixing bowl, along with a couple Tablespoons of dressing.
The kale will soften and reduce in the bowl.
Once the kale looks soft, add your favorite chopped vegetables.
Finally, finish it with more cashew dressing.
Make it your own
You can make this salad your own by adding any of the following:
- Peanuts, cashews, or pistachios
- Coconut bacon
- Dolmas
- Olives
- Vegan feta cheese
- Vegan croutons
- Air fryer tortilla strips
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Crave-worthy kale salad & roasted chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale removed from ribs, roughly chopped
- 1 batch creamy cashew salad dressing
- ½ cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 batch roasted chickpeas
- Handful of peanuts optional
Instructions
- Put chopped curly kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour on a couple tablespoons of creamy cashew dressing. Massage the dressing into the kale for a couple of minutes. The kale leaves will soften and reduce in bulk.
- Once the kale looks soft, top with chopped cucumber, carrots, celery, and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Top with fresh-out-of-the-oven roasted chickpeas. Drizzle more creamy cashew dressing onto the salad and toss to evenly coat.
- Add a handful of peanuts as an optional crunchy topping.
Watch how to make it
Notes
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated May 2020. Originally posted March 2016.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
This salad is right up my alley! I love kale and roasted chickpeas!
Cadry
Aren’t they the best? It’s amazing to think that there were years in my young life when I never ate them. Now hardly a day goes by that I don’t have kale and/or chickpeas.
Robert
It was great!
Cadry
I’m glad to hear it, Robert!
Kittee Bee
Hi Cadry!
You’re cute.
xo
kittee
Cadry
Hi Kittee!
Thank you! The cuteness in me honors the cuteness in you. 🙂
xo,
Cadry
Hannah
This is absolutely the kind of simple, hearty, and of course delicious meal I could very happily eat every single day. Crave-worthy, indeed!
Cadry
Thanks, Hannah! You and me both!
Shell
Roasted chickpeas are my FAVORITE! I haven’t tried adding them to salads yet. The combination of the kale, dressing and chickpeas looks delicious!
Cadry
Thanks, Shell! Since you’re a fan of roasted chickpeas already, you’ll have to try adding them to salads sometime.
KZ
Yum! I love kale & chickpea salads! I love your videos, they are v adorable <3
Cadry
Thank you! That’s really nice to hear! 😀