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Overhead shot of vegan, gluten-free kale salad on a plate with ramekin of tahini sauce on the side.
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4.34 from 6 votes

Kale Salad Recipe with Chickpeas and Tahini

Eating well has never tasted so good! This easy kale salad recipe is loaded with chickpeas, pomegranate, pine nuts, and an irresistible tahini sauce. It's healthy, hearty, and delicious - and just so happens to be vegan and gluten free, too!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings: 5
Calories: 251kcal
Author: Farrukh Aziz

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 oz) Canned Chickpeas drained, rinsed and lightly dried
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
  • 2 teaspoons Zaa'tar Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice divided
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly Cracked Pepper to taste
  • 5 cups Kale rinsed, ribs removed and chopped
  • ⅓ cup Tahini Sauce
  • ⅓ cup Pomegranate Arils
  • 2 tablespoons Pine Nuts

Instructions

Air fry (or roast) the chickpeas

  • Preheat the air fryer at 200°c (default is 3 minutes as per the manufacturer's instruction for my air fryer).
  • Place the chickpeas along with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive, zaa'tar seasoning, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Toss to combine well.
  • Transfer the tossed chickpeas in the air fryer basket. Cook for 13-15 minutes, shaking in between a couple of times.
  • Alternatively, you can roast the chickpeas (on the rimmed baking sheet pan) in the pre-heated oven at 200°C for 15-20 minutes or until crisp.

Massage the Kale Leaves

  • Place chopped kale leaves, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a large salad bowl.
  • Massage the kale leaves with your clean hands (or finger) for 2 minutes or until the leaves start to wilt.

Assemble the Salad

  • Place the massaged kale on the serving platter and top with crispy zaa'tar chickpeas.
  • Drizzle generous amount of tahini sauce, top with pomegranate arils, toasted pine nuts and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6863IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 3mg