Lemony Quinoa Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Not your average kale salad! This deli-worthy quinoa kale salad is made in just 30 minutes with 10 ingredients. It’s sweet and tangy, lemony, crunchy, and packed with wholesome ingredients!
Servings 3 (entrée servings // or double as a side)
Ingredients
SALAD
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (or kalamata olives)
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- 4 cups loosely packed chopped kale (1 small bundle yields ~4 cups or 100 g)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (we like roasted unsalted)
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles (optional // vegan/dairy-free as needed)
CRISPY CHICKPEAS
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
CROUTONS optional
- 2 cups day old sturdy bread, torn into ~1-inch pieces (such as sourdough // if gluten-free, use gluten-free bread or omit)
- 1 tsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
DRESSING
- 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1-1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If using sun-dried tomatoes that are hard/dry, soak in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then drain.
- Meanwhile, if you don’t already have cooked quinoa, prepare at this time (stovetop directions follow, or you can make it in the Instant Pot). In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup dry quinoa and 1 cup water (1/2 cup dry quinoa yields ~1 ½ cups cooked // adjust amount if altering default number of servings). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and continue cooking for ~15-18 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy (the little curly “tails” of the quinoa should be visible). Remove from the heat and set aside (covered) while you make the salad. The quinoa will get even fluffier as it sits!
- Add drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried chickpeas to the baking sheet (scoot to one side if you plan to make the croutons). Then toss with oil, salt, and pepper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly crispy and golden brown. If making the croutons, add the bread to the other half of the baking sheet around the 8-minute mark and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Croutons should bake for a total of 7-10 minutes, or until slightly browned and crusty. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside (both croutons and chickpeas will get crispier as they cool).
- To a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more lemon for tartness, maple syrup for sweetness, and salt and/or pepper for flavor. Next add the chopped kale and massage it in the dressing for a few minutes to soften the kale and remove some bitterness.
- Add the cooked quinoa, sun dried tomatoes or kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese (optional). Toss to combine. Once the chickpeas and croutons (optional) have cooled slightly, add them to the salad and stir to distribute. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If not consuming the salad immediately, we suggest storing the chickpeas and croutons separately at room temperature until just before serving to help maintain their crispiness.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Nutrition (1 of 3 servings)
Serving: 1 serving without croutons or cheese Calories: 474 Carbohydrates: 51.4 g Protein: 13.9 g Fat: 25.8 g Saturated Fat: 3.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 13.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1013 mg Potassium: 819 mg Fiber: 11 g Sugar: 12.2 g Vitamin A: 290 IU Vitamin C: 39 mg Calcium: 159 mg Iron: 4.1 mg