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Sesame Kale Chickpea Salad

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This kale and quinoa salad comes together in about 30 minutes and is loaded with tender kale, quinoa, and chickpeas tossed in a zippy sesame dressing and topped with a crispy ramen topping. It’s perfect for meal prep because it will stay fresh in the fridge all week, and the flavors just get better with time!

  • Author: Kylie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Cooking
  • Cuisine: American/Asian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units Scale

Ramen Topping

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 brick uncooked ramen, crushed
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • Kosher salt

Dressing

Salad

  • 1 bunch of kale, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)

Instructions

  1. MAKE RAMEN TOPPING. Add butter to a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Crush ramen into small pieces and add to the skillet along with almonds and sesame seeds. Cook, stirring very frequently, for about 5-6 minutes or until everything is toasty and fragrant. Remove from heat, drizzle with toasted sesame oil, and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to cool.
  2. MAKE DRESSING. Add olive oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
  3. MASSAGE KALE. Add chopped kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple teaspoons of dressing and use your hands to gently massage the dressing into the kale until it begins to wilt and turn bright green.
  4. ASSEMBLE AND DRESS. Add chickpeas, quinoa, and half the ramen topping to the bowl. Pour in half of the remaining dressing, toss to coat evenly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. SERVE + ENJOY. Just before serving, toss salad with another splash or two of dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the remaining crispy ramen topping. Enjoy!
  6. SHARE THE LOVE. If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!

Notes

  • Add just half the dressing initially, and then add a splash of dressing just before serving.

  • This recipe makes A LOT of dressing (so you’ll end up with extra), but it’s so freaking good that you’ll want to put it on everything. I even love to use it as a chicken marinade! If you really only want exactly just enough dressing for the salad, click the 1/2x button in the recipe card, and it will automatically halve the recipe for you!

  • Massaging the kale is the best way to make it super tender and infuse that sesame flavor into every bite. Don’t skip it!

  • Keep the crispy ramen topping separate until right before serving if you’re not eating the salad right away. It stays shockingly crispy that way instead of going soft mixed in with everything else.

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/kale-and-quinoa-salad/