This light Kale Salad with Chickpeas with country-style Dijon vinaigrette, chickpea “croutons”, Avocado and Feta is a great family-style salad that’s great for meal prep, since the kale holds up for close to a week!
This chickpea kale salad not only packs a serious flavor punch with its fresh and tart dijon and lemon vinaigrette dressing, it's also got the perfect balance of different textures. Loaded with creamy avocado, cool and refreshing cucumber, delicate shallot and crispy chickpeas taking the place of croutons, this delicious salad has it all!
It's got crunch from the homemade crispy chickpea croutons, a tangy vinaigrette, and creamy avocado and salty feta for a truly balanced and addictive salad!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- How to make the Kale salad with chickpeas
- Storing the crispy chickpeas
- Substitutions and Additions
- Storing leftover salad
- Serving Suggestions
- More great salad recipes
Ingredients
Crispy Chickpea ("Croutons")
- A can of chickpeas, drained and dried. You'll rub them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins so they get extra crispy in the oven!
- Extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Garlic powder.
- Onion powder.
- Chili powder.
- Salt.
- Fresh ground black pepper.
Dressing
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Apple cider vinegar. I prefer organic for best flavor.
- Honey.
- Dijon mustard. Any Dijon mustard works for this dressing, but grainy or country-style dijon gives the dressing more texture.
- Dried oregano.
Salad Components
- A bunch of curly kale or tuscan kale, chopped and cleaned. Make it super easy with a salad spinner!
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced.
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into half moons. Use the food processor if you like to make quick work of the slicing for the cucumbers and shallot.
- 1 small shallot.
- Crumbled feta cheese. I like to get mine in brine, and crumble it myself for better flavor and texture.
How to make the Kale salad with chickpeas
Below is a step-by-step visual guide on making the perfect Kale Salad with Chickpea Croutons, every time!
Storing the crispy chickpeas
Roasting the crispy chickpeas can be done up to a week in advance! Just cool them completely, and store in an airtight container (I like to use a mason jar). The crispy chickpeas also make a great snack, or mix-in for other salads. Once roasted and cooled, they will keep at room temperature for about a week.
You could even make a big batch and keep them around for another use!
Substitutions and Additions
Below are some swaps you can make to make this salad with what you have on hand!
| Chickpea swaps | For a quicker rendition of this salad, you could use store bought crispy chickpeas, as well as nuts and seeds like toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or pistachios. |
| Swap the greens | Skip the massaging step, and swap in some mixed greens or chopped romaine lettuce. |
| Adjust the sweetener | You can omit the honey from the dressing for a tangier bite, or replace it with some pure maple syrup. |
| Cheese swaps | Shaved parmesan cheese, crumbled Cotija cheese, or goat cheese would make great substitutes for the feta cheese. |
Storing leftover salad
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store roasted chickpeas in an airtight container or mason jar at room temperature for up to 1 week.
This salad is super flavorful, and almost gets better as it sits. The hearty kale can really withstand the acidic dressing, making this a great candidate for meal prep or pot lucks. Be sure to omit the chickpeas from the salad until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tasty salad fresh and room temperature, or right from the fridge for a tasty meal prepped lunch!
This salad makes a great pairing to main dishes like baked chicken or pork loin, and also works as a great accompaniment to a cozy bowl of soup.
Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas, Avocado and Feta
Equipment
- sheet pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and dried
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 bunch kale, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into half moons
- 1 small shallot, sliced thinly
- ½ cup crumbled feta
Dressing
- the juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Apple cider vinegar (organic preferred)
- ¾ tablespoon honey
- 3 teaspoon country style dijon mustard (Grey Poupon), can also use regular Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas well, transfer to a plate or cutting board lined with several; paper towels. Lay a layer of 2-3 paper towels over the chickpeas and run back and fourth until all chickpea skins are removed and chickpeas are dry, changing towels if necessary as you go. Discard the skins, and toss dried chickpeas in olive oil and spices. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray and roast chickpeas for 45 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool while you prepare and assemble the salad. 2. Chop kale into 1” or smaller pieces, clean and drain well, and massage with your hands to break down the fibers a bit. Slice cucumber into thin half moons, and thinly slice one small shallot. Toss all ingredients together with ¾ cup of grated parmesan or crumbled feta. 3. Add all dressing ingredients to a medium bowl or liquid measure and toss to combine, then dress the salad. I recommend dressing the salad up to 30 minutes before serving, as the kale is hearty and will not wilt, and the flavor improves as it sits. 4. Once chickpeas have cooled, divide tossed salad across 4 bowls, and top each evenly with sliced avocado and crispy chickpeas and serve! (Alternatively, toss all ingredients and serve family style).
Nutrition
More great salad recipes
If you love this easy Kale Salad with Chickpeas, Avocado and Feta, you'll love these tasty salad recipes, too!
Kale Crunch Salad with Strawberries and Feta - for a a touch of sweet, summery fresh strawberries!
Butter Lettuce Salad with Avocado - a simple green salad with a great vinaigrette!
Tangy Fennel Salad with Apples and Goat Cheese Dressing.
Hearty Mediterranean White Bean Salad - perfect for meal prep!
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