Chickpea Kale Salad with Lemon Cashew Dressing

This chickpea kale salad is a hearty mix of kale, crispy chickpeas, carrots, nuts, seeds, and hemp hearts, drizzled with a creamy, tangy lemon cashew dressing.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 10

Total Time 12

Servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Louisa

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chickpea kale salad:

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp slivered almonds
8 cups baby kale
2 tbsp hemp hearts
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 carrot, peeled and shredded

For the lemon cashew dressing:

1/3 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp liquid Aminos
1 clove garlic
3 lemons, juiced

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Toss in the chickpeas and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Add the paprika and maple syrup and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Place kale in a large bowl and toss with the toasted chickpeas.
Add some oil and slightly toast the slivered almonds in the same pan you toasted the chickpeas in.
Top the kale salad with the toasted almonds, hemp hearts, shredded carrots, and sunflower seeds.
To make the cashew dressing for kale salad, just blend all the ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the kale and chickpea salad. Mix and enjoy!

Notes

Want a more hands-free way to cook your crispy chickpeas? Season the drained chickpeas and place them on a baking sheet with garlic cloves. Drizzle them with oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven preheated to 375°F. Remove the garlic, and bake the chickpeas for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
For a warm kale salad with chickpeas, quickly saute your kale in olive oil for 2 minutes on low heat before assembly.
While the cashew lemon dressing pairs perfectly with this kale salad, a simple lemon vinaigrette can just be as delicious. Mix lemon juice with mustard, garlic, and your choice of herbs and seasonings to adjust the taste.

Nutrition