Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
A delightful twist on the classic Caesar salad, combining creamy dressing, crispy chickpeas, nutritious kale, and heartiness of pasta, perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 tbsp water
For the salad
- 8 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions (Fusilli Bucati Corti)
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (omit for vegan)
- 5 cups shredded kale
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas. Place them on a baking pan between two paper towels. Roll the chickpeas in the paper towels to remove as much water as possible. Discard any loose skins for extra crispiness.
- Drizzle olive oil, smoked paprika, and sea salt on the chickpeas. Mix with your hands or a spoon until evenly coated.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until crispy.
Making the Dressing
- In a blender, combine olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, Dijon mustard, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and water. Blend until smooth.
Combining Ingredients
- In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, shredded kale, baked chickpeas, parmesan cheese, and the dressing.
- Mix everything together to combine.
Notes
Make sure to dry the chickpeas well before baking them for extra crunch. Feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice and tahini to suit your taste. For a vegan version, omit the parmesan cheese or use a vegan alternative.