Kale Quinoa Chickpea Salad

Name: Kale Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 cups finely chopped kale; 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; Pinch of sea salt; 3 cups cooked quinoa (see note); 1 14-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 3 green onions, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped; 2/3 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, sliced; 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese; 1/2 cup toasted pepitas; 1/2 cup raisins; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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A wonderful Kale Quinoa Chickpea Salad that’s bursting with flavour, texture, and nutrients is the perfect meal prep recipe or side dish at dinner. It’s made with tender massaged kale, quinoa, chickpeas, feta, olives, pepitas, raisins, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, too!

Happy September! With back to school and routine season in full swing, it’s the perfect time to share a meal prep salad recipe.

Salads are some of my most popular recipes on the blog; my Moroccan Lentil Carrot Salad and my Roasted Beet Salad with Pecans and Feta are perennial fan favourites.

This particular salad is super satisfying and checks off all the boxes when it comes to nutrition, so it could qualify as lunch all on its own, particularly with the addition of a couple of hard boiled eggs. It’s also a wonderful side dish at dinner, pairing well with salmon, chicken, steak, tofu, and meatballs.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions and Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top Tips
FAQ
Related Recipes
Pairing Ideas
Kale Quinoa Chickpea Salad

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy: You’ll love how easy this quinoa salad is to prepare! Simply cook some quinoa, add chickpeas, massaged kale, green onion, olives, feta, pumpkin seeds, and raisins, and whisk together a lemon Dijon vinaigrette. Toss everything together and voila, your quinoa salad is ready!
Healthy: This salad is packed with protein, fibre, and complex carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar stable, as well as folate from kale and chickpeas, zinc from pumpkin seeds, and beta carotene and vitamin K from kale!
Flavourful: Briny, salty olives and feta give this salad tons of flavour, as does the lemony dressing!

Ingredients

Let’s take a look at the ingredients in this kale, quinoa, and chickpea salad!

Quinoa: Quinoa is packed with plant protein, fibre, and magnesium. It cooks in 15 minutes, making this quinoa salad quick and easy.
Chickpeas: Chickpeas combine with the quinoa to make this salad ultra satisfying and rich in protein and fibre.
Kale: You’ll massage the kale with a small amount of olive oil to tenderize it before it goes into the salad.
Green onions: Green onions add depth and a pungent bite.
Parsley: Parsley adds freshness and flavour.
Castelvetrano olives: Briny, salty Castelvetrano olives are my olives of choice for a salad, but you can use regular green olives or Kalamata olives in a pinch.
Feta: Salty feta adds a lot of flavour and combines well with all of the other ingredients in this salad, but feel free to use another cheese variety such as gouda, mozzarella, or fontina.
Pepitas: Pepitas add a satisfying crunch and rich nutty flavour.
Raisins: Raisins add a layer of sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the salty, tangy flavours in the salad.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil: Forms the base of the dressing.
Lemon juice: Brightens flavours and balances the richness of the oil.
Apple cider vinegar: Balances flavours and provides acidity.
Maple syrup: Balances the acidity of the apple cider vinegar and provides a light sweetness.
Dijon mustard: Acts as an emulsifier and flavour enhancer.
Garlic: Acts as a flavour enhancer.
Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper both enrich and balance all of the other flavours in the dressing.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Here is a visual overview of how to make this quinoa salad. You can also find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step 1: Add the kale to a bowl. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the oil and salt into the kale. This tenderizes it so that it isn’t too tough once it’s in the salad.

Step 2: Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Step 3: Make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine.

Step 4: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly so that all of the quinoa, chickpeas, and other ingredients are well coated. Serve!

Substitutions and Variations

Here are a few ingredients substitutions and variation ideas so that you can customize this quinoa salad to suit your preferences and ingredient availability.

Kale: Instead of kale, you can use baby spinach or arugula. If you are using spinach or arugula, you can skip the step of massaging the greens. Baby spinach and arugula are already very tender.
Quinoa: Substitute the same amount of brown rice. Or turn this into a delicious pasta salad by using cooked and cooled rotini, fusilli, or macaroni. You’ll need 8-12 ounces of pasta.
Raisins: Not a fan of raisins? Use dried cranberries, dried cherries, or chopped Medjool dates.
Pepitas: Use toasted chopped walnuts, almonds, or cashews.
Vegan: Make this vegan by omitting the feta cheese or using your favourite non-dairy feta.
Feta: Swap out the feta for cubed cheddar, gouda, or mozzarella cheese.
Add roasted sweet potato or squash: For a pop of colour, add some roasted sweet potato or squash.
Add more veggies: You could always add some cherry tomatoes, diced bell peppers, and diced red onion.
Add extra protein: While this salad already contains a fair amount of protein thanks to the quinoa and chickpeas, feel free to add some diced cooked chicken breast for even more protein.

Equipment

Large salad bowl
Small mixing bowl
Glass jar
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Measuring cups and spoons

Storage

Store this quinoa salad with kale and chickpeas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The flavours will mellow, so bring it back to life with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of salt.

This salad should not be frozen.

Top Tips

Season with extra salt and lemon juice as needed! As time goes on, quinoa salads tend to absorb a lot of dressing and the flavour mellows out a fair bit. Remedy this by adding extra salad and a squeeze of lemon juice to any leftovers.

FAQ

What are some common quinoa salad mistakes?

Common quinoa salad mistakes include adding the quinoa before it has cooled fully, which can result in a soggy quinoa salad. Another quinoa salad mistake is forgetting texture contrasts. Quinoa is soft and chewy, so it’s important to add textural contrast with crunchy elements such as nuts or seeds.

What dressing goes best with quinoa salad?

A vinaigrette goes best with quinoa salad. Because quinoa is delicate, a heavy, creamy dressing doesn’t work well because the quinoa can get weighed down and soggy.

Looking for more quinoa salad recipes? Try these:

Pairing Ideas

Serve this quinoa salad alongside my favourite Seared Then Baked Chicken Breasts for a super healthy and satisfying dinner. For lunch, serve a couple of hard boiled eggs on the side for extra protein and staying power.

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how much you loved it with a star rating and a comment below.

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