Kale and Chickpea Salad – Dressed in Dreamy Gochujang Tahini
This kale and chickpea salad is covered in the dreamiest gochujang tahini dressing that is super creamy and has the perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and spicy. It’s bold, vibrant, and comes together in just 15 minutes.
Leafy greens like kale are among the most nutrient-dense foods (read more about the health benefits of kale), and this recipe makes it easy and so delicious to eat more of them. Add hearty chickpeas and that insane sauce, and you’ve got a meal-prep-friendly salad that holds up beautifully for days.
For more colourful, plant-forward salads, try our favorites:
- Carrot And Cucumber Salad
- Easy High-Protein Glass Noodle Salad with Shredded Tofu
- Easy Beet Quinoa Salad
- The best Beet and cucumber salad (with roasted garlic yogurt sauce)
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- meal prep friendly
- anti-inflammatory ingredients
- creamy-spicy flavor combo – this is the best dressing for a kale salad
- rich in fiber and plant protein
If you love recipes with gochujang, give these a go:
- Gochujang Kimchi (Vegan)
- Easy Gochujang and honey glazed roasted butternut squash
- Kimchi Udon with Peanut Butter
- Easy vegan tteokbokki – with kimchi
- Quick And Easy Vegan Kimchi Stew (vegan kimchi jjigae)
Ingredients for Kale and Chickpea Salad
- Kale – Use curly or lacinato kale, with steams removed.
- Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas make this salad super easy to throw together.
- Tahini – Choose a creamy, runny tahini. We love the Belazu brand.
- Light soy sauce – Adds depth and savory notes to the dressing.
- Gochujang – This fermented Korean chili paste comes in various levels of spiciness. We use a mild gochujang paste, but feel free to go spicier if you like more heat.
- Maple syrup – Balances the tanginess of gochujang and slight bitterness of tahini.
- Rice vinegar – Light rice vinegar helps cut through the richness of tahini.
- Water – Add two tablespoons to loosen the dressing to the perfect creamy consistency.
How to make Kale and Chickpea Salad
1. Prepare kale
Remove the kale leaves from the stems by tearing them into bite-sized pieces. Bring 2 liters of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Blanch the kale in the boiling water for 2 minutes — the leaves should remain bright green and slightly crunchy. Drain and immediately transfer the kale to a bowl of ice water or rinse with cold water and a few ice cubes to stop the cooking.
2. Prepare chickpeas
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Set aside. (Optional: pat dry if you prefer them less watery.)
3. Make the dressing
Add the tahini, gochujang, maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water to a bullet blender and blend until smooth and creamy with a light reddish color. If it’s too thick, add another teaspoon of water and blend again.
4. Assemble
Place the kale and chickpeas in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later.
Expert & storage tips
- How to meal prep the kale and chickpea salad? You can prep the kale and chickpeas ahead of time, make the dressing in a blender, and keep everything stored separately in airtight containers. Toss it all together when you’re ready to eat — or mix it in the morning for a packed lunch that holds up beautifully until afternoon. If the dressing has thickened, loosen it with a teaspoon of water.
- How long does it last in the fridge? It stays fresh in the fridge for about 3 days. If the kale is well-drained after blanching and you store it in a sealed container, it keeps its crunch. The dressing also holds for up to 5 days.
- How to serve it? We usually eat it cold, straight from the fridge, but it’s also great at room temp. You can toss it into a wrap with some cooked noodles or tofu, or spoon it over a grain bowl. Honestly, it’s one of those salads that adapts to whatever mood you’re in.
- Top this salad with toasted sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts for crunch and extra flavor.
Video recipe
More similar recipes
Glass noodle salad with shredded tofu (High-protein)
Carrot And Cucumber Salad
Beet quiona salad
Beets and cucumber salad
Kale and chickpea salad
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 Medium pot
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale – stems removed
- 1,5 cups chickpeas canned
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon light rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/4 cups water
Instructions
- Blanch the 4 cups kale – stems removed: Tear into bite-sized pieces. Boil in salted water for 2 minutes, then cool in ice water.
- Prep the 1,5 cups chickpeas: Drain and rinse.
- Make the dressing: Blend 4 tablespoons tahini, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon light rice vinegar, and 1/4 cups water until smooth.
- Assemble: Toss kale and chickpeas with dressing. Serve fresh or store chilled.
Notes
- Make it ahead – The salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavors get better over time.
- Want to make it more substantial? Add toasted or cooked noodles for a more filling version.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts for crunch and extra flavor.
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I eat kale raw in a salad?
Yes, you can. just be sure to massage the dressing into the raw kale and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to soften. Just a heads up: it’ll be even higher in fiber this way, which is great, but might be a bit tougher on sensitive digestion.
Can it be frozen?
We don’t recommend freezing it as the kale goes limp and the dressing can split. Better to make it fresh or store it in the fridge for a few days.
We try to eat leafy greens several times per week, and this gochujang and tahini dressing makes it so easy because it is truly lip-smacking. If we’re super hungry, we replace the chickpeas with ramen noodles. If you give it a try, let us know how it turned out in the comments below — and don’t forget to leave a rating, it helps others find the recipe too!
This dressing is so delicious and the whole thing is so quick and easy to prepare. It’s my new summer addiction. Thank you!
You made our day! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it. We can relate, it’s our summer obsession as well.