This hearty kale salad with tahini is anything but boring or bland! Filled with tasty tahini massaged kale, crispy spiced potatoes and roasted chickpeas, creamy avocado, juicy corn, and crunchy veggies, it’s hearty and satisfying.
The magic lies in the creamy, tangy, lemon tahini dressing! When massaged into the kale, it softens the leaves and removes any bitterness.
A sprinkle of nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor and an extra protein boost, while the roasted chickpeas and crispy potatoes add a satisfying crunch and heartiness. With every bite, you'll enjoy layers of texture and taste, making this vegan salad satisfying enough for a balanced meal or a substantial side dish!
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Ingredient notes
This vegan kale salad uses simple ingredients. Here are some notes on what to use:
Tahini and lemon juice
Tahini and lemon juice form the base of the simple tahini dressing. The acidity of the lemon and the richness of the tahini neutralize the bitterness of the kale without needing any oil. This creamy dressing is perfect for kale salad.
Roasted potatoes and chickpeas
Roasted to perfection, potatoes and chickpeas bring a hearty texture to this vegan kale salad. I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe because they don’t require peeling. The chickpeas crisp up in the oven beautifully, adding a satisfying crunch along with added protein content.
Kale
I love using curly kale for this savory kale salad because its texture creates more space to capture the creamy dressing. However, Tuscan or Lacinato kale also work nicely. We massage the tahini dressing into the kale, making it tender, flavorful, and less bitter.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the tahini dressing
To make the dressing, simply whisk together tahini and lemon juice, adding water to thin it out. Season it with salt, and if you’re in the mood for a garlicky kale salad, add a clove of grated, fresh garlic. Get all the tips on how to prepare tahini sauce perfectly.
Roast the veggies
Spread the diced potatoes and chickpeas onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you’re using a fresh, uncooked ear of corn, add it to the sheet as well. Toss the potatoes and chickpeas with the spices and roast without any oil, until the potatoes puff up and the chickpeas have the perfect crunch.
Massage the kale leaves
To prepare the kale, make sure it’s washed and chopped into small pieces. Drizzle some of the dressing over the kale, and massage the kale salad with tahini dressing, until the kale leaves turn soft and have absorbed some of the dressing.
Add ingredients and toss with dressing
Once your kale is massaged, add the roasted veggies and chopped fresh veggies. Drizzle on some more tahini dressing, sprinkle with nutritional yeast, and give it a gentle toss to coat everything.
Substitutions & variations
This crunchy kale salad with chickpeas is incredibly versatile, so it’s easy to make it your own! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Potatoes: Instead of typical potatoes, try roasting sweet potatoes or butternut squash for a slightly sweeter, earthy taste.
- Chickpeas: Try roasting cooked lentils or white beans until crispy, instead of chickpeas. They add a different texture but keep the protein and heartiness.
- Mediterranean flair: Add in some kalamata olives or fresh herbs, like mint and parsley, to add more of the Mediterranean flavor that I love.
- Harvest flavors: Swap the potatoes for sweet potato or butternut squash, add roasted pumpkin seeds, and swap the cucumbers and tomatoes for diced apples or pears, for a seasonal spin that brings of sweetness and crunch. This twist would make for a perfect fall or winter kale salad.
- Protein: You can easily add roasted tofu or tempeh or hemp seeds, to boost the protein content further!
- Dressing: Try using a sweet dressing for this kale salad, like my maple tahini dressing. For even more savory flavor, dress this salad with my tahini caesar dressing.
Top tips for making this recipe
- Massage the kale well: Don’t skip the massage! It’s key to softening the kale, making it more pleasant to eat and less bitter. You can use food-safe gloves for this part so it doesn’t get messy!
- Chop the kale finely: Smaller pieces make it easier to chew and help the dressing coat each piece evenly.
- Crispy potatoes and chickpeas: When roasting, ensure the potatoes are puffed and golden, and the chickpeas are slightly crispy. You can tell the potatoes are ready, when they are slightly browned and fork-tender.
FAQs
Massaging kale with a combination of fat and acid, like in this tahini kale salad, helps soften the kale leaves and remove bitter notes.
This kale salad holds up surprisingly well in the fridge, even after being dressed. Stored in an airtight container, it lasts about 3-4 days, though the dressing may absorb a bit, making the salad drier over time.
To refresh it, keep some extra dressing aside to add just before serving. Since avocado can brown, it’s best to add it right before serving as well. If you prefer maximum crispiness, store the dressing separately and toss it in just before serving!
Kale pairs wonderfully with creamy dressings. Dressings like this lemon tahini dressing combat the bitterness of raw kale, making it one of the best kale salad dressings. Bacause of its hearty structure, kale also goes great with fresh and roasted veggies.
What to serve with this recipe
This savory kale salad is delicious on its own, but it also pairs well with these other dishes to create a heartier meal.
- Serve this kale salad with a creamy vegan pasta, like my avocado mac and cheese or sweet potato mac and cheese.
- Make some seitan chicken to create vegan chicken strips to top your salad eith even more protein.
- Soup and salad are a classic combination. Try this tahini kale salad with my Mediterranean white bean soup!
Tried this recipe?
If you loved this tahini kale salad, I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment below.
Don’t forget to pin it for later to enjoy again, or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @zenandzaatar! 🥰
Recipe
Hearty Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing (Savory, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- 5-6 cups kale leaves
- 1 Persian cucumber
- 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
- ¾ cup roasted or cooked corn*
- 2 cups diced potatoes preferably Yukon gold
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Nutritional yeast for topping
Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic grated (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475F. Toss diced potatoes and cooked chickpeas in salt, pepper, and paprika. This works best if the chickpeas and potatoes are not completely dry so that the seasoning sticks. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 mins, shaking halfway through.
- Whisk all ingredients for tahini dressing in a small bowl.
- Dice avocado and cucumber, and cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Place washed kale leaves in a large serving bowl. Drizzle over some of the tahini dressing and toss the kale in it. The tahini is best incorporated into the kale if you massage it into the leaves.** Repeat until kale leaves are evenly coated in dressing. Top with tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, corn, chickpeas, and potatoes. Lightly toss.
- Top with an extra drizzle of tahini dressing, and sprinkle some nutritional yeast. Enjoy!
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