This is my favorite kale salad recipe, tossed with crinkled kale leaves, roasted spiced chickpeas, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. I hope it becomes your favorite way to enjoy raw kale in a salad!

A chopped kale salad and roasted chickpeas on a plate, with a fork digging into the salad.

Why I love this salad

When a basic kale salad recipe turns out tasting like a more robust Caesar salad, I could not be happier. This one has all that going on, just without anchovy and a crunchy topping of chickpeas, instead of croutons.

Kale salad topped with crispy chickpeas and Parmesan cheese in a serving bowl.
  • To make this salad, you’ll roast the chickpea “croutons” first. Once they’re cool, you can set them aside at room temperature or refrigerate for 2-3 days until you assemble the salad.
  • Prep the kale: The trick is to slice the leaves into small pieces so that they can soak up the dressing and make them easier to eat.
  • Whisk the dressing together in a bowl.

Sturdy kale leaves are a great vehicle for soaking up the lemon vinaigrette dressing, which is tangy, garlicky and utterly crave-worthy.

As a matter of fact, letting the dressing mingle with the kale for a bit before eating only improves the flavor and texture. You can even make it hours ahead of time with no fear of ending up with a wilted, soggy salad.

A bunch of dark green lacinato kale leaves arranged on a kitchen towel.

Types of kale

Kale comes in a variety of textures and colors — including green, curly, red and purple.

  • Tuscan kale or lacinato is an Italian variety of leafy brassica related to cauliflower, broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. It goes by a few different names, which can be confusing when you’re shopping for it.
  • When you see kale labeled as Lacinato, Dinosaur, Dino, black kale or cavalo nero, it’s all Tuscan kale. You can use any type of kale you like to make this salad. I used dark green Tuscan kale because it stands out from the crowd with its almost blue-black color and crinkled leaves.

How to cut and prep kale:

  • Kale leaves on a cutting board, with a chef's knife and leaves, stems and thinly sliced kale.
    Remove the tough rib that runs down the middle of the leaves. You can either do this by hand by literally tearing it out, or use a knife to cut the ribs out one by one.
  • Kale leaves on a cutting board, with a chef's knife and leaves, stems and thinly sliced kale.
    To shred the kale into ribbons for the salad, make a manageable stack of leaves and turn them so that their long side is horizontally aligned with your cutting board. Then use a large, sharp knife and slice the kale crosswise into 1/4-inch or so ribbons.

Put the leaves in a colander or salad spinner and give them a good rinse. Spin or blot dry and you’re ready to go.

The smoky roasted chickpeas topping the salad are very snack-able (just warning you.) But there are way worse things out there to be obsessed with than chickpeas! Make a double batch and eat them straight-up as a snack, or keep them in the fridge for sprinkling on salads, pasta or roasted vegetables.

4.91 from 22 ratings

Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Lemon Vinaigrette

Karen Tedesco
A savory kale salad with smoky roasted chickpeas, Parmesan and lemon vinaigrette — the best salad to get your daily serving of greens!
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 5 tablespoons (112 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white wine vinegar
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus a small wedge for serving
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Roasted Chickpea Croutons

  • 1 15-ounce can (425 g) chickpeas, drained
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the salad

  • 2 12-14 ounce bunches (400 g) kale (8 cups), ribs removed

Instructions
 

Make the lemon vinaigrette

  1. Put the lemon zest, juice, vinegar and garlic in a bowl and add ¾ teaspoon salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Whisk in the remaining 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, the cheese and red pepper. Taste and season with a pinch more salt if you think it needs some.

Roast the chickpeas

  1. Heat the oven to 400 (200C) degrees.
  2. Toss the chickpeas on a small rimmed baking sheet or large ovenproof skillet with the olive oil, paprika and salt until they're evenly coated with the spices. Roast 15-20 minutes — they should smell fragrant and look slightly shriveled. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Prepare the salad

  1. Stack the kale leaves into a loose pile and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. Wash and spin dry, then blot with a clean towel if they’re dripping wet.
  2. Put the kale in a serving bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss the leaves with your hands so that they’re evenly coated (your hands will taste yummy). Toss in the chickpeas to coat with the dressing.
  3. Shave curls of cheese over the salad with a swivel vegetable peeler. Sprinkle the salad with more chili and grated lemon as a garnish, if you like.

Notes

  • This salad holds up great for a few hours at room temperature.
  • To prepare the kale ahead of time, put the shredded leaves to a zippered storage bag, along with a paper towel to absorb excess water. Stick the bag in the fridge, where the kale keeps beautifully for about a week.
  • To make the salad ahead, toss the kale with the dressing, keeping the chickpeas separate, for 1-2 days in the fridge. Top with the chickpeas when ready to eat.
  • Roast the chickpeas and keep them refrigerated 2-3 days until you assemble the salad.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 185kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 2g Fat: 19g Sodium: 106mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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