If you think you hate kale or that kale salads are just not good, I NEED you to try out this kale salad with quinoa, chickpeas, and the best pesto dressing!
What You'll Need To Make Kale Salad With Quinoa:
- 3.5 Ounces Raw Chopped Kale
- 1 15 Ounce Can Chickpeas
- 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
- 4 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
- 3 Tablespoons Vegan Pesto
- 1 Tablespoon Vegan Mayonnaise
- ½ Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- A Drizzle of Olive Oil
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Turmeric
How To Make The Best Kale Salad
Overall, this kale salad is pretty easy to make, but there are a few crucial tips!
First, Chop and Massage the Kale
Yes, you read that correctly. The first and arguably most important step in any kale salad is MASSAGING the kale!
I know it sounds strange, but it makes a huge texture difference.
Add your chopped kale to a large bowl and drizzle or lightly spray olive oil. Using clean hands, gently massage the oil into the kale until the kale becomes a darker green and a bit softer in texture. It should look like it was just lightly steamed.
Next, Prepare the Added Ingredients
I chose to use pre-cooked quinoa for simplicity. Either way works, just cook as the instructions say and yield 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas and lightly pat them dry. Add them to a hot, dry pan and toast them with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and turmeric.
Continue toasting them until they become slightly crispy on the outside.
Then, Make the Pesto Dressing
Use your favorite vegan pesto (the Trader Joe's one is so good!) or make your own Healthy Vegan Pesto.
In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of pesto, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise, and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with salt to your liking!
Finally, Assemble the Kale Salad
To the bowl of massaged kale, add the cooked quinoa and combine. Then add in 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley. Mix in half of the dressing and half of the crispy chickpeas. When plating and serving the dish, drizzle the remaining dressing and toss the remaining chickpeas on top!
Ingredient Substitutions:
Still not convinced about the kale? That's fine, this salad method will be delicious with just about any green! Dark, hearty greens are preferred!
Instead of white quinoa, you can use red or tri-color quinoa, rice, or even couscous!
Vegan mayo can almost always be replaced by using cashew cream, which is a healthier alternative!
Vegan Kale Salad With Quinoa, Chickpeas, & Pesto Dressing
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces Chopped Kale
- Olive Oil Drizzle
- 15 ounce can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup White Quinoa cooked
- 4 tablespoon Fresh Parsley chopped
- 3 tablespoon Vegan Pesto
- 1 tablespoon Vegan Mayo
- ½ tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Turmeric
Instructions
- Add your chopped kale to a large bowl and drizzle or lightly spray olive oil.
- Using clean hands, gently massage the oil into the kale until the kale becomes a darker green and a bit softer in texture. It should look like it was just lightly steamed.
- Cook your quinoa or use pre-cooked quinoa
- Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas and lightly pat them dry. Add them to a hot, dry pan and toast them with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and turmeric.
- Continue toasting them until they become slightly crispy on the outside.
- In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of pesto, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise, and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with salt to your liking
- To the bowl of massaged kale, add the cooked quinoa and combine. Then add in 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley.
- Mix in half of the dressing and half of the crispy chickpeas.
- When plating and serving the dish, drizzle the remaining dressing and toss the remaining chickpeas on top!
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