Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad comes together in under 30 minutes, with protein-packed ingredients! It's dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly.
I don't think of myself as a big meal planner, but I actually do a fair bit of meal prepping in the beginning of the week. I love making big salads or bowls that we can quickly grab from the fridge for lunch!
This salad checks all the boxes for a quick and easy make-ahead lunch, or even pre-made dinner side salad. It's nourishing and filling, yet light and bright.
Our Caesar Salad Swaps
To make this salad allergy-friendly and vegan, we swapped out a few common caesar salad ingredients. Instead of croutons, we're using crispy chickpeas!
In our dressing, we're substituting capers for anchovies. And to make our salad a little more hearty, we're using chopped kale instead of romaine lettuce.
Feel free to omit the cooked quinoa, but I love it for an added little boost.
Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad Ingredients
Here are the 3 main ingredients you'll need!
- Chickpeas
- Quinoa
- Kale
How to Massage Kale
Massaging your kale helps make it more tender and less bitter. Start by stripping the leaves from the stems. Wash and dry the leaves then tear or give them a rough chop. Place in a large bowl with dressing or olive oil. Using your hands, massage until the kale starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (optional)
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch kale stems removed and chopped
For the Vegan Caesar Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon capers with brine
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add drained and rinsed chickpeas to skillet and sauté until softened and slightly crispy.
- Meanwhile, prepare the kale by removing the stems and giving it a rough chop. Transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vegan caesar dressing ingredients then pour on top of chopped kale. Massage until tender.
- Stir desired amount of cooked quinoa and crispy chickpeas into the bowl with kale and serve immediately. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for a few days.
Nutrition
Kortney says
OMG all over chickpeas instead of croutons!!!!!!! I need to try this
Jenna | The Urben Life says
YAS!!! Enjoy 🙂 Lemme know what you think!
Kristen Wood says
Oh my goodness, the flavors here sound divine! Yum!
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Thanks so much, Kristen 🙂
Shayla says
It looks lovely, and so healthy! I love Caesar salad so I'm sure I'd love this.
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Thanks so much 🙂 Enjoy!!
Kileen says
This salad looks so yummy! I love chick peas so much!!
Jenna | The Urben Life says
The best 🙂
Karen says
This looks so delicious! I love the combination!
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Thanks, Karen 🙂
Emily says
Oh yum! This salad looks so good! I have never though to add chickpeas to a Caesar salad but really love the idea! My daughter is a vegetarian so I am always looking for new salad options for her. This one has a ton of ingredients that are great for her to eat.
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Perfect!! I hope she loves it 🙂
Amber Myers says
This looks like a spectacular salad. I will have to make this for lunch one day. I've always loved caesar salad.
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Thanks so much, Amber! I hope you love it 🙂
Marta says
I'm on this HUGE chickpea kick lately. Thank you for this recipe. Another great one to try out.
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Absolutely 🙂 Be sure to let me know what you think!!