This Kale and quinoa salad with roasted chickpeas is a fresh, hearty and satisfying salad. Tender kale and quinoa are tossed with crispy roasted chickpeas, golden halloumi, sweet dates and a fresh and bright lemon vinaigrette for a delicious flavor combination. Meal prep for an easy weekday lunch, or serve as a dinner, or holiday side dish.
The quinoa and chickpeas make this kale salad hearty and filling, while the kale adds freshness and a little bite. I like to massage the kale with a little of the lemon dressing to softens the leaves. It also and helps the kale absorb all that lovely citrus flavor.
The roasted chickpeas halloumi are easy to make on a sheet pan in the oven while the quinoa cooks. They give this quinoa kale salad a wonderful crunch and added plant based protein as well. Just like this easy roasted Chickpea potato salad or this Quinoa chickpea salad. They are all great options when you want something more substantial and filling, than a simple green salad.
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Ingredients
Listed below are the ingredients to make this quinoa kale salad with roasted chickpeas and halloumi. For the full written recipe with the quantities, see the recipe card below.
Salad
- Quinoa, uncooked and any color works. I used a multicoloured quinoa for this kale salad recipe. A tip is to boil the quinoa in vegetable broth for added flavor.
- Curly kale or lacinato kale, washed and dried. Remove the tough stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Massaging the kale with a little dressing softens, and gives it a better texture. So don’t skip this step.
- Red onion, ads a wonderful crunch and bite to this salad. Spring onions or shallots are another great option or these pickled red onions for a milder and sweeter flavor.
- Pistachios, for great crunch and flavor. Roughly chop them before adding to the salad. For the best flavor, use roasted pistachios.
- Dates, they add sweetness to the salad that is a great combination to the salty halloumi cheese and crunchy chickpeas. They are optional, but I highly recommend it.
Roasted chickpeas and Halloumi
- Halloumi, it is a firm cheese that holds its shape when cooked. Roasting it with the chickpeas gives it a beautiful golden crust. It has a salty flavor that goes so well with the sweet dates.
- Can of chickpeas, Using canned chickpeas is both easy and fast. Drain and rinse them and pat dry before roasting them until golden and crispy. They add a lovely crunch and make the salad more filling with the addition of plant based protein.
- Olive oil, or other neutral oil for roasting the chickpeas and halloumi.
- Spices: fresh thyme, sweet or smoked paprika powder, garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper
Lemon vinaigrette
- Extra virgin olive oil, a good quality olive oil will add a wonderful flavor to this lemon dressing.
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed always tastes better.
- Honey, to balance out the acid from the lemon juice. Maple syrup is another good option.
- Garlic, minced
- Dijon mustard
- Fresh thyme, dried thyme can also be used but a little fresh herbs ads a great flavor to the lemon vinaigrette.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This crunchy kale chickpea salad is made by roasting the chickpeas and halloumi in the oven. Follow the instruction below with step-by-step photos. For the full written instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Step 1: Add the chickpeas, cubed halloumi, olive oil and spices to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Stir until well coated and spread out in one, even layer.
- Step 2: Bake in the oven, stirring once until golden and crispy around the edges.
- Step 3: In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- Step 4: Rinse the quinoa well and cook according to the package instructions, optional is to boil it in vegetable broth instead of water for extra flavor. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.
Step 5: Add the chopped kale to a large salad bowl with half of the dressing. Using your fingers, massage the kale for about a minute, until it is tender.
Step 6: Add the cooked and cooled quinoa, roasted chickpeas and halloumi, red onion, chopped pistachios and dates. Drizzle with the remaining of the lemon vinaigrette, gently toss to serve.
Hint: The halloumi cheese can be quite salty, so add less salt when making the salad and then season the finished salad with more to taste. Top with some extra pistachios if desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Grain: Instead of quinoa, other good options are cooked bulgur, farro or couscous. Each option will give the kale salad a slightly different texture and flavor.
- Greens: Some other options to kale are: Baby spinach, arugula, shredded green cabbage or mixed baby greens. No need to massage any of these greens with the dressing first, just add as is.
- Cheese: The halloumi ads a great, salty flavor to this salad. Other options are crumbled feta added straight to the salad, no need to roast it. Or look at this Farro salad with butternut squash and oven roasted feta cheese.
- Nuts: Chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans are all great alternatives to pistachios. For an allergy friendly option, use pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Dried fruit: The chopped dates are optional but they add a nice sweetness and chew to the salad. Other good options are dried apricots or dried cranberries. They add a slightly different sweetness but work well with the lemon dressing. For a fresh flavor, use pomegranate seeds.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme ads great flavor to both the roasted chickpeas and the lemon vinaigrette. If you don’t have fresh thyme, substitute with half the amount dried thyme.
- Add more veggies: Diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes or cubed avocado are all delicious additions. Another great option is to add some chopped butternut squash or sweet potato to roast alongside the chickpeas and halloumi cheese. Or check out this Sweet potato quinoa salad.
- Vegan: Leave out the halloumi or use cubed, firm tofu instead. For the dressing, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Spicy: Drizzle the roasted chickpeas and halloumi cheese with some hot honey for a sweet and spicy flavor combination. You can also add more red pepper flakes to taste.
Storage
Store any leftover kale and quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It holds up really well and makes a great meal prep. The chickpeas will soften over time but still taste great. But if you are making this salad ahead of time, an option is to store the roasted chickpeas, pistachios and cooked halloumi separate. Add them just before serving so the chickpeas and nuts stay crunchy.
I don’t recommend freezing this salad. The kale will become watery, and the halloumi changes texture after bering defrosted.
Top Tip
For the best kale salad, don’t skip the step of massaging the chopped kale. Raw kale can be quite firm and chewy, but a quick massage with half of the lemon dressing makes a big difference! The leaves become softer and darker while still keeping their texture. I also recommend letting the quinoa cool completely before mixing it with the with the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
FAQ
Halloumi is a firm, semi-hard cheese. It originates from Cyprus and is known for its salty flavor and firm, slightly chewy texture. One of the best things about halloumi is that it doesn’t melt and holds its shape when cooked, making it perfect for roasting, grilling or pan-frying. It is delicious addition to salads like this kale and quinoa salad.
I would highly recommend it, especially when using raw kale like in this recipe. Massaging the leaves with a little of the lemon vinaigrette helps soften their firm texture and makes them tender and delicious.
Yes! It is a great salad for meal prep or to bring to different events or holiday meals. Prepare the salad the day before but wait with adding the roasted chickpeas, halloumi and chopped pistachios until just before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Yes, this kale salad is vegetarian. A tip is to always check the halloumi cheese, or any cheese you use, so that it is make with vegetarian-friendly rennet.
Yes! This Kale and Quinoa Salad recipe is naturally gluten-free. If you change or add any ingredients, always ensure they are certified gluten free as well.
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Quinoa Salad Recipes
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This Kale and quinoa salad with roasted chickpeas is a fresh, hearty and satisfying salad. Tender kale and quinoa are tossed with crispy roasted chickpeas, golden halloumi, sweet dates and a fresh and bright lemon vinaigrette for a delicious flavor combination. Meal prep for an easy weekday lunch, or serve as a dinner or holiday side dish.
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 pound (5 cups) curly kale or lacinato kale, washed and chopped
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup roasted pistachios, chopped
- ¼ cup dates, chopped (optional)
- 8 oz (225g) pack of halloumi, cubed
- 14 oz (400g) can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or brush with a little oil.
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Add the chickpeas, cubed halloumi, olive oil and spices to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Stir until well coated and spread out in one, even layer. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once.
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Rinse the quinoa well and cook according to the package instructions, optional is to boil it in vegetable broth instead of water for extra flavor. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.
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In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
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Add the chopped kale to a large salad bowl with half of the dressing. Using your fingers, massage the kale for about a minute, until it is tender.
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Add the cooked and cooled quinoa, roasted chickpeas and halloumi, red onion, chopped pistachios and optional dates.
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Drizzle with the remaining of the lemon vinaigrette, gently toss to serve. Top with some extra pistachios if desired, and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
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