Kale and Chickpea Salad with Feta
Full of nutritious ingredients and tossed in a zesty lemon dressing, this kale salad is a healthy option for lunch or as a side dish. It's crunchy, salty, sweet, tart, and earthy all at once!
Servings 6 2-cup servings
Calories 319kcal
Ingredients
Chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ounces chickpeas drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder with a pinch of salt
Salad
- 1 bunch kale about 10 leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped, about 12 cups loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup shredded carrots from about 1 large carrot
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cup pumpkin seeds shelled, dry roasted and salted
- ½ cup dried cherries
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large cast iron or other skillet. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat. Let them cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring only once or twice, until they start to brown. Add the spices, stir to coat, and cook another 5 minutes until browned. Remove from heat.
- Put the kale leaves in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Massage the leaves between your fingers for 2 to 3 minutes until they are noticeably tender. Avoid over-massaging to prevent mushy leaves. If you are making the salad in advance to eat a day or more later, you can skip the massaging step since the dressing will soften the kale as it sits.
- Add the chickpeas, carrots, feta, pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, and salt. (Note: This is enough dressing to lightly cover all the leaves. If you prefer more dressing, double the ingredients.)
- Immediately pour over the salad ingredients. Toss until coated. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Leftovers (with dressing added) will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Kale holds up well, but it will get softer over time.
- If you need the salad to be strictly vegetarian, look for a feta cheese labeled as such.
- Feel free to mix up the cheese, dried fruits, seeds or nuts, etc! I'd love to hear about the combos you create.
- Add tofu, salmon, chicken, or another protein source to make the salad a complete meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6183IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 3mg