Kale Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

A bowl filled with a fresh salad made of kale, chickpeas, cucumber, herbs, and crumbled cheese. A spoon rests in the bowl.

5 from 1 vote

Kale Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This Kale Chickpea Salad is one of those back-pocket recipes that is delicious and adaptable. The creamy lemon, tahini and honey dressing balances out some of the bitterness from the kale. But keep reading, I have a trick to make the kale less bitter! Best of all, it comes together in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Seasonal

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $10

Ingredients

Salad Dressing

3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Tahini
1 tbsp Honey - Use more if you like a sweeter dressing
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Black pepper

Salad Ingredients

½ Kale bunch - about 3 cups after chopping
3 Persian cucumbers (diced)
1 can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed) - 14oz can (398ml)
½ cup Greek feta (crumbled)
2 tbsp Mint (finely chopped) - Use more or less to taste
2 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped) - Use more or less to taste
2 tbsp Dill (finely chopped) - Use more or less to taste
Dill fronds and mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

Dressing. Make the creamy tahini dressing directly in your serving bowl. Whisk together 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp Lemon Juice, 2 tbsp Tahini, 1 tbsp Honey, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ½ tsp Black pepper until creamy and well combined.
Prep the Kale. Strip ½ Kale bunch and discard the tough stems. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Rinse it under cold water in a colander, massaging the leaves vigorously as you go. This helps tenderize the kale, but also washes away some of the bitterness. Set aside to drain. You could also use a salad spinner or paper towels to remove excess water.
Assemble the Salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add 3 Persian cucumbers (diced), 1 can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed), ½ cup Greek feta (crumbled), 2 tbsp Mint (finely chopped), 2 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped), and 2 tbsp Dill (finely chopped).
Toss. Toss everything together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish with Dill fronds and mint leaves for garnish. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Kale: I love using Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale. But you can use any other type of kale if you prefer (red curly kale is nice too). This recipe calls for half a bunch, but you can use more or less depending on how much you like kale. You can also substitute the kale with other leafy greens like romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, or arugula.
Cucumbers: I prefer using Persian cucumbers. They are crunchy and refreshing, with a small seed cavity and thin skin. You can use an English cucumber if that’s what you have access to, but you may want to peel it and remove some of the watery seed cavity before chopping.
Feta: I think Greek feta is the only way to go here! It’s creamy, salty and tangy. But if you don’t like feta cheese, you can use another creamy cheese like goat cheese instead. Vegan alternatives are available.

Other Tips:

Massage the raw kale well. It makes all the difference in texture. The kale will be less crunchy and more tender.
“Beef” it up with your favorite protein! Add sliced rotisserie chicken, seared shrimp, plant-based protein, or fried tofu to increase the protein per portion. If you have leftover Chicken Shish Tawook or Chicken Shawarma meat, use that!
Meal Prep: This is an excellent meal prep recipe. Simply divide the dressing equally in your containers first. Then layer the ingredients as you like. Before serving, just give the container a shake and you're good to go!

Nutrition