This salad came to my mind right as I was falling asleep.
Does your brain ever do crazy stuff like that? My best ideas seem to come when I’m about to doze off and don’t have a notebook or pen to write things down, so I just make a pact with my brain to remember. And the next day we both do our best to recall what we were thinking.
Thankfully, this one made it through the pipeline! Three cheers for my old lady brain still working!
I’ve made many a kale salad before, but this one is special. This is the answer to the question, “What’s super cozy, flavorful and perfect for Thanksgiving?”
This Mediterranean/Egyptian flavor pairing came to mind, and the recipe is adapted from my all-time favorite Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 30 minutes to prepare!
The base is kale massaged with lemon juice and olive oil. Then comes freshly grated beets (which to me taste like candy in salads!). Next is pan-fried gluten free shallots that literally take 5 minutes, and Mediterranean baked chickpeas.
The final touch? Dukkah! Which is an Egyptian spice blend used to season sauces, protein, and things like this delicious salad! Dukkah is a totally optional ingredient but such a fun topper for this dish. It not only adds smoky, nutty flavor, but also a little crunch.
The dressing is SO easy (and dreamy).
Tahini is blended with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Add water to thin and ‘voila!’ You have a super creamy, lemony dressing ready to coat those gorgeous greens. Look at that salad goodness.
I hope you all LOVE this kale salad! It’s:
Hearty
Flavorful
Vegetable-packed
Fiber- & Protein-rich
Creamy + Crunchy
Super healthy
& Delicious
This would make the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, or anytime of year, really. It yields two entrée-sized portions or 4 sides, so multiply as needed. Although it’s delicious on its own, it would pair extremely well with my Creamy Fall Soup in Acorn Squash Bowls, and my Vegan Thanksgiving Wrap.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see!
Don’t forget – this is recipe #7 of 8 in my Thanksgiving Week Extravaganza. One more recipe to come! Cheers, friends!
Creamy Kale Salad with Chickpeas, Beets & Dukkah
Ingredients
CHICKPEAS
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and well dried
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed or avocado oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch each ground cardamom + coriander (optional)
SHALLOT
- 1 cup thinly sliced shallot (3 large shallots yield ~1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp brown rice (or all-purpose) flour
- 1 pinch each salt + pepper
- Avocado, grape seed, or coconut oil for pan-frying (~2 Tbsp or 30 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)
DRESSING
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tsp finely minced garlic
- 1 medium lemon juiced (yields ~3 Tbsp or 45 ml as original recipe is written)
- 1 1/2-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
- Water to thin (~1/4 cup or 60 ml as original recipe is written)
SALAD
- 1 large bundle kale (non curly // or sub mixed greens)
- 1 Tbsp avocado or grape seed oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 medium beet (finely grated or sliced // I used a mandolin)
DUKKAH optional
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp coriander seeds (or 1 heaping Tbsp ground coriander per 2 Tbsp seeds)
- 2 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon + coconut sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and add rinsed, (thoroughly) dried chickpeas to a small mixing bowl. Add oil, cumin, paprika, coconut sugar, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, sea salt, cardamom and coriander (optional), and stir to combine.
- Spread on a bare baking sheet and bake for 22-27 minutes, or until deep golden brown and slightly crispy – they’ll crisp up more as they cool.
- In the meantime, add shallot to the same small mixing bowl from earlier and top with brown rice flour and a pinch each salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and heat a cast iron or metal skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and add shallot and all of coating. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and light golden brown – about 4 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the dressing by adding tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a small mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Add enough water to thin until pourable – about 1/4 cup (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Whisk until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, salt + pepper for flavor balance, or maple syrup for sweetness. Garlic will add more bite/spice.
- Add kale to a large mixing bowl and top with oil and lemon juice. Massage with hands to soften and coat the kale for about 1 minute.
- If serving with dukkah, prepare by adding hazelnuts to a food processor and pulsing into a fine meal. Next, heat a skillet over medium heat and add sesame seeds. Toast/brown, stirring frequently, until the natural oils begin to release and they turn light brown and become fragrant. Then transfer to the food processor. To the still warm skillet add the coriander seed and toast until some of the seeds begin to pop and they are fragrant. Move off the heat and smash with a pestle or wooden spoon. Then add to food processor along with ground cumin, pepper and sea salt, cinnamon and coconut sugar (optional). Process to combine. Set aside. Store completely cooled leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature up to 3 weeks, though best in the first two weeks.
- To serve, add grated beets, chickpeas and shallot to the kale and top with several spoonfuls of dukkah (optional). Add half of the dressing and toss to combine. Divide between servings plates and serve with additional dukkah and leftover dressing. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with all of the dressing and without dukkah.
*Salad adapted from my Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas. Chickpeas adapted from my Chickpea Shawarma Salad.
*Prep time does not indicate total hands-on prep time, but also includes prep completed while other items are cooking.
Ashley says
I made this exactly as written with the exception of the dukkah as I did not have all the ingredients needed. This has absolutely amazing flavors! I could have eaten the entire thing myself, it was perfect for lunch. I’ll eat it again tomorrow 😁 and probably add some more fresh veggies on it. This will be my go-to recipe for yummy, crispy, snackable chickpeas! Thanks for such a great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this salad, Ashley. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Donna Luna says
I followed the recipe with the following modifications. First, I used chickpeas made from scratch instead of canned, because I had that on hand. Next, going down the list of ingredients, I didn’t have shallots, so I used red onion instead. I used all-purpose flour and coconut oil. Also, I used all organic ingredients when possible.
I definitely wanted to try the dukkah, with whatever I had on hand. So instead of hazelnuts, I used pistachios. Instead of sesame seeds, I used cashews. Instead of coriander seeds, I used ground coriander, as the recipe offers. I didn’t toast anything to make it easier.
I had brussels sprouts in the fridge, so I cut those into slices or halves and roasted them in the oven and added it to the final salad. You could do that while you do the chickpeas, on another tray. Loved them in the dish!! If you’re going to try that too, make lots more dressing! It was a little dry.
If you want to keep all the chickpeas nice and crunchy, you don’t have to mix them into the salad. Instead, you can use them all as a topper. You can really brighten up the dish by adding extra lemon to your dressing, or sprinkling lemon juice straight on your serving.
I was pleasantly surprised that it yielded 4-5 dinner/entree sized portions for us, with the addition of the brussels sprouts. It took me and my partner 1.5 hours to make together from start to finish. Overall, the meal was tasty and filling!
Hannah says
Delicious, filling, and so pretty to look at! I only had raw hazelnuts and didn’t bother to roast them but the dukkah was still a tasty addition and added a satisfying crunch to the dish. The chickpeas were phenomenal and I will probably use that portion of the recipe to enhance other salads.
My only complaint is that either the garlic or shallots left me with quite bad breath after eating (I’m normally a big garlic fan, too). Next time I’ll either cut down on both, or maybe roast the garlic with the chickpeas before adding it to the dressing so it’s a little less pungent.
Thanks for sharing! It’s definitely not a salad for good breath :D Modify as needed next time!
Hannah says
This salad was really awesome. It took me about double the time listed to make so I’m glad I did it on a Saturday afternoon, but all of the flavors are great. Really like the touch of sweetness. Next time I’ll make the dukkah in advance.
Lauren T. says
I am completely obsessed with this salad – it’s crave-worthy, which is not a term I use lightly. Sometimes I add some grated carrot and radish for more color and crunch. I usually make 4 portions, doubling the salad and chickpea ingredients and leaving the dressing and shallots as written. Make a batch of nut dukah and keep it in the freezer – you won’t regret it.
Same tho! Thanks for sharing, Lauren!
Lauren Trees says
My husband and I really enjoy this salad – great vegan meal that tastes yummy and leaves you full and satisfied. We were able to shave the calories down to 450 or so by halving the dressing (it’s still plenty!), not massaging oil into the kale (just massaged with a touch of lemon juice and salt), halving the oil on the chickpeas, reducing the shallot amount slightly, and just using a little oil (maybe a teaspoon) and a hot non-stick pan to cook the shallots. Probably not quite a crispy and decadent, but fine with me and much more diet-friendly. We’re not beet fans, so we subbed in carrot and radish.
I highly recommend the dukkah – it adds a lot of flavor and makes a ton, so you can throw it on stuff for months. Great on avocado toast! I have used a variety of nuts to make it and it turns out fine.
karen ogulnick says
I am wondering if this recipe would work with the crispy chickpeas recipe (with the Tandoori Masala Spice blend). I already made the Dukkah with pistachios since I didn’t have hazelnuts and also added some shredded coconut. Do you think the mixture of spices will work together, or do you recommend that I prepare the chickpeas according to this recipe (just a little more work, since I already have the spice blend). I’m loving your recipes! Thanks!
karen ogulnick says
Actually I decided to follow your recipe. It wasn’t that much more work. However, speaking of spices, I use some pre-mixed spice blends, such as Persian Adwiya. Do you think this would go well with any of your recipes? It contains rose petals, cinnamon, lemon zest, cumin, coriander, orange zest, nutmeg, cardomom, salt and pepper. Thanks!
karen says
I actually haven’t made this yet, I just got the spices and ingredients together. I am working on it slowly. Planning to make it for a dinner tomorrow night. Will let you know how it comes out.
Angela says
This is my favorite recipe I’ve made from you so far, you are an inspiration and have made being vegan one of my best decisions.
Hannah Vanasse says
I made this for dinner tonight. One of the best creamy salads I have ever had. Thank you so much, Minimalist Baker!
Barb says
This was a little labor intensive for a weeknight meal…..but so worth it. The flavors were extraordinary. So many layers of texture and taste. Even the carnivore loved it.
Hannah King says
I made this last night and HOLY COW!! I didn’t have any beets on hand so I just grated up a large carrot and it was amazing! And those shallots took it over the top! So delicious.
Priyanka says
This is probably the best salad I have ever eaten. It is very very good, though time consuming. The Dukkah is just amazing !!
annie k says
Y’know, there are days where only kale salad and tahini dressing will do for supper. This was one of those days! I couldn’t find everything needed for the dukkah, so had to omit it, but this was the second or third Minimalist Baker salad recipe I’ve made for the family’s supper that everyone loved. Thanks for creating recipes that are healthy, tasty keepers! (Hope to make the dukkah next time!)
Jennifer says
Do you have a particular brand of grapeseed oil you recommend?
Hi Jennifer! Any kind works!
Emily says
38 grams of fat is not healthy! The flavors sound amazing, but I’ll be making this with as little oil as possible and using the dressing sparingly. Yikes!
Alexandra says
I made this tonight – this was delicious! Loved the spice mixture on the chickpeas and the shallots were definitely something I’m going to make again – great salad topping!
Nicole says
Great salad! However, on what world does this require only 5 minutes of prep time?!?! There are so many separate components. The chickpeas, the shallots, the dukkah, the kale, the beets, the dressing… that’s SIX different things to prep… and total prep time = 5 minutes?!?! C’mon! Probably took me about an hour from start to finish..
Marcia says
I’m so glad to hear someone else has the same feelings I do! Often it takes me an hour or more just to prep items to finally make the dish. When I’m trying to find a recipe that I can cook for dinner, I judge it by the prep time. More often than not we end up eating between 8:30 & 9 PM. Not good to go to bed with a full stomach. Sometimes I get really angry that recipes take so much longer than is listed. I’d prefer a more realistic number. Oh, and I can’t prep that many items while some of the others are cooking. I want to watch and make sure the heat is right and so on.
Susana says
This was so tasty and great (i made it without the Dukkah). I also didn’t have tahini so I substituted olive oil. I was astounded to see how many calories it is. I wish it was less so that I could eat more ;)
Frankie says
I agree about the calories and also the fat grams!!
Ellie says
This was the best, heartiest vegan salad EVER. New favorite recipe.
Thanks for sharing!
Kelly says
My husband and I made this for dinner last night. Absolutely delicious! The flavors and textures together are incredible and so satisfying. We both kept saying over and over while eating, “This is so good!”.
We did not make the dukkah because we didn’t have hazelnuts but I’d love to include it next time.
Julie Trnavsky says
Wonderful; had to roast the hazelnuts but just amazing!
Jessica says
This was SO YUMMY! I could not stop eating the roasted chickpeas! I forgot to add Cardamom and still delicious. Didn’t make the Dukkah either but it sounds delish! Coming from someone who usually sticks to very light salad dressing I do find that only a little bit of the dressing is all that’s needed. Can’t wait to eat this again tomorrow! Thanks!
AJ says
I was scared just looking at the ingredients here and I can cook – and it wasn’t one of those quick fix jobs either – but my god the effort was worth it! I absolutely went crazy over this Kale & Chickpea Salad as did my whole family. Bravo DANA keep em coming and Thank you for your inspiration, creativity and GOOD TASTE! Loved it! AJ
Debra Minnigerode says
Enjoyed this salad a lot. Maybe I’m really slow but I don’t think this can made with 5 minutes prep time. There are a few parts to it and it took me significantly longer than 5 minutes to assemble them but the result was well worth the investment of time.
Thanks Debra! I modify the cook time and prep time because prep time happens DURING cook time, if that makes sense. Glad you stilled liked it!
Marcia says
8/1/17 – I made this for dinner yesterday and I must say, it was THE best kale salad I’ve ever had! For those who omitted the Dukkah, you need to make it again and use it! It will take the salad to a whole new dimension! So worth it, thanks Dana.
Now I’d like to address the “time” aspect that Debra mentioned. I started this at 11:30 am. I made the Dukkah, Dressing, Shallot, and Chickpeas (in that order) and was finally finished at 4:24 pm. I had to stop and get ready to make a Costco run with my husband. We returned home and I returned to the kitchen around 7:30 pm. We sat down to eat at 9:17 pm. That makes it a total prep time of approximately 6 3/4 hours. Seriously, I have absolutely NO idea how you can actually say the prep time was 5 minutes. I even had all the ingredients set out so I didn’t have to hunt for anything. This sort of thing happens all the time. I look at your suggested timeline and figure starting at 5:30 – 6 pm, no problem. I am wrong each and every time, no exceptions. This makes me crazy & exhausted.
I will make this again, but perhaps starting the day before is a good idea. I believe it would make a wonderful meal for guests also, it’s so impressive! Oh, I do have a question about the chickpeas: about 1/3 of ours were still soft when taken out of the oven and sat until I needed them. I tried re-heating them, but that didn’t really make much of a difference. Any idea what happened or what the remedy might be? I did as you suggested, make sure they are DRY before cooking them. I must tell you, I’ve decided to double the amount of chickpeas because they are SO delicious! I truly hope you have the time to address my comments, but most of all, I’d love some of your expertise with the chickpea fiasco!
Suzanne says
Wow!! This salad is amazing. I added some roasted pecans and more garlic. I crushed the garlic into a paste to get the oils out. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe Dana.
Kitty says
Dana, we had this salad today for Thanksgiving and it was so good. Rave reviews! Thanks!
Denisse | Le Petit Eats says
Tahini dressing gets me every time! This looks great and I bet the crunchy chickpeas are so satisfying!
Raine Mertz says
This looks amazing and I love chickpeas! Thank you so much for this and I’m glad I’m not the only one whose mind contemplates recipes at night!
Linda says
Sounds great – do you use raw beets or cooked?
NC says
I would love to know too :)
Raw!
Ellie Grunewald says
I have this question too! Raw or cooked beets?
Thanks!
Hi Ellie, the beets are raw!
Akhil says
Ah I love this! Your title made me click on the post, and the pictures made me keep reading, so BRAVO!!
I love vegetarian recipes that make me not so scared to try out new things, and I think this one looks pretty straightforward. A question I had about the chick peas: Do you think it matters whether I use canned or fresh?
I tend to use fresh, but in this scenario I am curious to see what the difference would be!
Looking forward to hearing from you – & thanks again for this recipe (Will come in handy on Thanksgiving!)
You can use whatever chickpeas you want, as long as they’re cooked!
Emily says
I just made this for dinner and it was SO delicious!! Thank you so much :)
Melinda says
Made this tonight (sans dukkah) and it was wonderful! I’m going to put the dressing on everything. I had to substitute butter beans for the chickpeas and pickled beets for fresh in order not to go to the store, but it was still great. It’s all about the seasoning on the beans and the dressing. Thanks for another great recipe!
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
This looks delicious and definitely a much needed healthy recipe this week =)
Stasja says
I’ve never tasted crispy chickpeas before and these pictures tell me that I’ve been missing out big time. :)
Tim Hordo says
Hi Dana, thanks for introducing me to a new way to use tahini…step aside, hummus!
Nora says
When you literally cannot wait to get home and snag the last kale from your garden to make this beauty. A long semester of college will be worth this delicious vegan glory surrounded by family. Also, the dukkah sounds like it might be my new favorite thing ever… thanks guys!
Debbie says
I know this is probably a silly question, but what size beet? Looks great. Can’t wait to try this for Thanksgiving.
Not a silly question! Somewhere between medium and large. xo!
Linda says
Wow, looks and sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to try it. I have a hard time digesting chickpeas and have found the fresh alternative a lot better. So I’ll try your recipe with green garbanzo beans. Thank you
Laila says
Is there anything I could use as a substitute for hazelnuts? Would walnuts/cashews/almonds work? Can’t wait to try this!
Yes! I think any of those would work, actually.
Caitlin | Our Natural Heritage says
This salad sounds amazing, thank you for sharing! And yes, some of my best ideas come to me at night when I am almost asleep – except I have to make myself wake up and write them down or I forget :)
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Charmaine Ng says
Looks delicious! AND I have the right ingredients at home now for this salad – kale, chickpeas and shallots – so I don’t have to go buy additional items.
– Charmaine
Rae says
Yum! Everything about this looks absolutely incredible! Pinned this to my recipe board and will definitely be giving this a go in the near future! I am all about kale and chickpeas. Would love to try this with some pomegranate as well!
Rae
Jens Ingefær says
Wow.. that looks so delicious!
I’m making it for my girlfriend on Thursday.
I hope she will like it.
Thanks for the inspiration:-)