Kale Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas & Avocado

Why you’ll love kale & quinoa salad

This kale quinoa salad is a wholesome and filling meal. But there are many more reasons to love this greenoa:

• It’s plant-based and nutrient-packed: This salad is full of plant-based proteins, fibre and healthy fats. It is naturally dairy-free, plant-based and gluten-free.
• It’s versatile: The basic kale quinoa salad is vegan and gluten-free as written. But you can top it with whatever you have in your fridge – bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or even some vegan cheese.
• It’s easy to make: You can make the kale quinoa salad in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. And you can easily make a double batch to meal prep for the week.

It requires a few simple ingredients:

• Quinoa: I use red quinoa for its nutty flavour and dark colour. But you can use white quinoa or tri colour quinoa if that’s what you have.
• Kale: Use fresh, crisp kale for best results. If you don’t have a food processor to work the kale, you can massage the kale with olive oil and salt to soften and remove any bitterness.
• Almonds: I like to add chopped almonds to the pesto for extra texture. But you can also sprinkle the salad with sliced almonds or replace them with walnuts or cashews.
• Lemon: I use both lemon juice and zest for flavour. But you can substitute the lemon juice with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Or add some preserved lemon for extra flavour.
• Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil for its punchy flavour. But you can also use avocado oil or a neutral oil like sunflower or grape seed oil.
• Salt: I use sea salt for the quinoa and pesto. But you can also use kosher salt or table salt to taste.
• Pepper: Use freshly ground black pepper for flavour. You can also add a touch of garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for more heat.

Bulk the kale quinoa salad up with (optional) salad toppings:

• Red onion: I like the sweetness and crunch of thinly sliced red onion. But you can also use shallots, green onions, or a milder onion like spring onion.
• Avocado: I add a ripe avocado for its creamy texture.
• Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas for convenience. But you can also use cooked chickpeas, or roasted crispy chickpeas for a crunchy texture.
• Parsley: Fresh flat-leaf parsley ads a herby flavour. But you can also use fresh mint, or a combination of both.

Quinoa kale salad variations & serving suggestions

Kale quinoa salad is the perfect base for a bowl or work lunch. It stays good in the fridge for a few days. So make a large batch and pack it for work lunches – just add some fresh veg or leftovers.

• Pumpkin seed pesto: Swap the almonds for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds if you need a nut-free salad. And top the salad with toasted pumpkin seeds. Or try shop-bought basil pesto or this vegan basil pesto.
• Dried cranberries and walnuts: Swap the almonds for walnuts and add dried cranberries for a sweet and nutty flavour.
• Roasted veggies: Roasted butternut squash and roasted sweet potato work especially well. But you can also try some roasted red bell peppers, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.
• Tuscan kale: Swap the curly kale for Tuscan kale (lacinato kale or dinosaur kale) for a more robust flavour. You can also use a mix of both.
• Greek salad: Add some crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese with olives for a delicious Greek-style salad. Serve with a simple olive oil and lemon dressing.

Regardless of your choice of toppings or salad dressing, this kale quinoa salad is the stuff of plant-based meal-prepping dreams!

How to make kale quinoa salad

This kale, quinoa and chickpea salad is a perfect meal prep option for busy weeks. It’s a great way to guarantee you get your greens in.

Step 1: Cook the quinoa

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.

Once the water is boiling, stir through ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of raw quinoa.

Cover the pot and turn down the heat to achieve a light simmer. Cook quinoa until the water is absorbed and the germ (the tiny spiral) separates and curls around the seed.

Remove the pan from the heat. Let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Then fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.

For quinoa, the perfect liquid-to-grain ratio is 2 parts water to every part of quinoa. So, 2 cups of water (or stock) for every 1 cup dry quinoa.

Step 2: Make the kale pesto

Roughly chop the kale and basil leaves, and add them to the bowl of a food processor. Add the almonds, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper, and blitz until you have a rough paste.

If you don’t have a food processor, see the notes for instructions on massaging the kale in a large bowl instead.

Stir through the ¼ cup of olive oil and chopped spring onions.

Step 3: Assemble the kale quinoa salad base

Place the fluffy quinoa in a large salad bowl (or individual small bowls). And toss with the kale pesto.

Finish with salt to taste and a generous grind of black pepper.

Step 4: Add salad toppings

Drain the onions and add them to the kale quinoa salad. Top with chickpeas, chopped parsley and sliced avocado. Drizzle with the preserved lemon dressing – if using.

Serve the kale quinoa chickpea and avocado salad warm or at room temperature. To store leftovers or meal prep salad, let the salad cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container.