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Parmesan Tahini Kale Salad with Breadcrumbs and Crunchy Chickpeas – not your average salad. Super green curly kale tossed generously with the creamiest tahini parmesan dressing then topped with a generous helping of garlicky breadcrumbs and extra crunchy, spicy chickpeas. It’s a simple salad, but one that will leave you craving it regularly. The secret lies in the dressing (it’s so special). And those crunchy chickpeas really seal the deal. Together they’ll make you say, yummmmy.
I was almost going to go through all of January without sharing a single salad. This is something crazy unusual for me. Most Januarys I load up on the salad recipes in an effort to share lighter recipes. This year has been a little different. I shared cozier, yet still very wholesome, healthy recipes. Lots of curries, big vegetable-filled bowls, and healthy banana bread too.
But today I have a salad – finally! And it might just be my favorite salad I’ve created. It’s inspired by a Caesar salad, but oh so much better.
I just love this recipe, and I know it’s going to be on repeat all year long. It’s the perfect salad to serve alongside your favorite family dinners or even to enjoy as dinner itself.
The idea came from a random video of tahini being poured over cauliflower. The tahini overtop of the roasted cauliflower looked incredible. Like so incredible.
You would think this would have inspired a cauliflower recipe. But for whatever random reason that’s not where my head went.
Instead, I went to kale salad, the most basic kale salad, but with so much tahini dressing, garlicky crumbs, and spicy, CRUNCHY chickpeas.
Three important elements. All simple. All so delicious.
Details
Chickpeas first. Toss them on a sheet pan with olive oil, chili powder, and paprika. I’ll sometimes add a pinch of onion and garlic powder too, then salt.
Bake these up until they’re crisp, then add Parmesan and bake until they’re very crunchy. This is key. The parmesan should become crunchy too.
During the same time, bake the Panko crumbs with olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts. Baking the crumbs instead of toasting them on the stove is so much simpler and mess-free. It’s also healthier since you’ll use less oil/butter.
While everything is baking, mix the dressing. Sometimes I use the food processor, sometimes just a jar, but either way, everything gets mixed until creamy.
Olive oil, tahini, lemon, dijon, Worcestershire, garlic salt, peppers, and parmesan. This dressing is very heavy on the tahini, which is the idea. It’s so addicting with the parmesan mixed in.
Toss the kale very well with the dressing. Then add more parmesan cheese, the warm breadcrumbs, and then the warm chickpeas.
Add everything in while still warm is kind of the secret. The warmth from the crumbs and beans melts the cheese and creates the butteriest, creamiest salad. It’s hard to explain, you just have to try it!
I debated calling this a Caesar because the dressing feels so similar, but honestly, this is better than any Caesar salad. Healthier too, so we can all appreciate that.
ENJOY, this really is a favorite!
Looking for other colorful salads? Here are some options:
Kale Bacon Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Lastly, if you make this Parmesan Tahini Kale Salad with Breadcrumbs and Crunchy Chickpeas, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Parmesan Tahini Kale Salad with Breadcrumbs and Crunchy Chickpeas
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 609 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 ounce) chickpeas, drained, plus patted dry
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup pinenuts (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 heads curly kale, shredded
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
Parmesan Tahini Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425° F.2. On a baking sheet, toss the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons olive oil, chili powder, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Bake for 15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup parmesan, toss and bake 5-10 minutes, until extra crisp.3. During the same time, on a baking sheet, toss the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake 10 minutes, until toasted.3. Meanwhile, add the kale and 1/2 cup parmesan to a large salad bowl. 4. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to thin the dressing. Taste and adjust the salt. 5. Pour the dressing over the kale, add 1/2 cup parmesan and toss well, massaging the dressing into the kale. Top the salad with avocado, then add a handful of parmesan. Top with breadcrumbs and chickpeas. Serve and enjoy!
Made it tonight, had to substitute romaine for the kale and almond butter for the tahini (it’s all I had) and it was amazing. I added salmon (airfryed, S+P, brushed with a spicy honey) and it all just went together so well. Another amazing recipe, thanks Tieghan!
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! So glad you enjoyed it! xT
Just delicious. Easy to make, simple ingredients. Highly recommend!!
Thank you sooo much for trying out this recipe! Hope your New Year is off to an awesome start! xT
I don’t make the entire salad, but I do use the dressing recipe for my daily lunch salad. It’s super flavorful and I don’t need a lot to make the salad tasty!
So glad you loved the dressing of this salad Alexis! xT
Made this salad tonight and it was a hit! My partner even cleaned his plate, including all the kale and asked me to save the recipe! Will definitely keep this in the rotation. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hey Rebecca! Thank you sooo much for trying out this recipe! Hope your New Year is off to an awesome start! xT
Delicious! One of the best salads I’ve ever made.
Hi there! Thank you soooo much for trying out this recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xT
I have been on a warm salad kick lately and searching for yummy recipes, and then this popped up! It is so delicious and easy, I have had it for lunch almost every day this week and then made it for dinner last night. It is cozy, filling, and I always love meals with a lot of greens!
Thank you so so much for giving the recipe a try! So glad you enjoyed it! xT
I told my family I would be bringing a salad to Thanksgiving dinner and everyone said, “Who eats salad on Thanksgiving?” Well, I’ll tell you who, my big Italian family, that’s who! It was a big hit and my adult daughter who isn’t a salad fun requested this the following day – was sad there were no leftovers. Luckily for me, I doubled the salad dressing so that should save me a few minutes. Might consider swapping out the panko with roasted quinoa some time. Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Marie,
LOL this is hilarious! I am so glad that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
My husband is OBSESSED with this salad. He makes me sub the breadcrumbs for toasted quinoa bc he’s healthy like that. I personally would prefer to keep the breadcrumbs but I rarely get so much enthusiasm for my cooking from him so his happiness is worth the sub. Thank you!
Hey Elizabeth,
LOL Love to hear that this recipe was delish! Thanks for making it and your feedback! Have a great weekend!🍁🍃
This was a great salad! I added some small, cubed sweet potatoes to the chickpeas and baked them together with the spice mixture (highly recommend) and found that I needed another Tblsp or so of lemon juice in my dressing (my tahini was pretty thick). I have been stress eating junk during my school midterms, so my body was super happy to have this healthy salad for a change!
Hi there! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe! Thank you for giving it a try! xT
This is becoming a staple in our household and one of my favorite make-ahead lunches for the week. I would recommend adjusting the oven temperature setting and time for the breadcrumbs. 10 min at 425 was too long and hot for my breadcrumbs. I would recommend 375 and check after 5 min.
If you don’t have or eat Worcestershire sauce, I think the dressing is still delicious but I did add a little maple syrup to remove some bitterness.
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you:) xT
I totally agree about the breadcrumbs! My first batch was nuked! Also, I skipped the seasonings on the chickpeas and used a can of TJs Greek seasoned chickpeas. So good.
Amazing! My family scarfed it down. I served chicken on the side to add calories and bulk to meal (for bigger eaters) but I didn’t need it. Loved the heat on the chickpeas! Will make this again and again.
Hi Susan,
Awesome!!😎 Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I only needed about half the breadcrumb mixture and added a little honey to the dressing. Very easy and fast if you buy pre shredded kale. I also found it delicious and filling on its own.
Hey Amy,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you!🍒🥭
Delightful & delicious! Thank you!
Hey Bianca,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xx
Fantastic dressing and love the salad. For me, the chickpeas needed almost 2 xs cooking time to get crunchy. Not a big deal. The dressing makes this easy to change up the ingredients as well. Perfect goopy satisfying salad with large flavor!
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it and your review! xT
This is hands down one of my favorite salads!!
Hi Morgan,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! Have a great week:)