kale pomegranate and maple chickpea salad with dijon vinaigrette
Sounds like you fuckers need a salad.
By you fuckers, I mean this fucker. I need a salad. This week has, rightfully, been full of indulgence, and will continue to be fully indulgent due to the coming of my birthday on Friday. Might be cake involved if I’m not lazy. Hencewise, after a lot of rich and cheesy, sugary and fatty foods, I’m ready to allow a salad into my maw. This one is damn good, and not boring in the slightest.
I mean, bruh, look at the hues.
Oddly enough, I’m more inclined to make salads in the winter than the summer. I guess that’s in part due to my preference for heartier, firmer greens like kale over romaine – the latter makes me gassy as hell, honestly – and I love salads with cooler-weather fruits like apples and pomegranate. They seem to fill the belly more than the lighter and crisper versions later in the year.
If you’re checked out of creamy sauces and want something with less milk and more produce, this Kale Pomegranate and Maple Chickpea Salad is your ticket to the world of not-boring bowls of green. Here, we tuck crisped roasted chickpeas, pomegranate, a handful of coconut bacon and parmesan (if you wish, neither are required!) and avocado into a blanket of chopped kale and arugula, and spiff it all up with a simple dijon vinaigrette that is basically what I make for 90% of my salads.
Hot Chick(peas)
Crispy chickpeas are such a simple way to lend some heft to a vegetarian salad, and these ones are among my favorite. Maple, brown sugar, a touch of smoked paprika, and cinnamon, a sweet and spicy blend.
The important note about roasting chickpeas is to get them really dry. I usually let them sit in the colander while I piss around doing other stuff, then lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet with paper towels beneath and atop to let any excess water drain. Since salads involve a good amount of chopping, you can easily let the chickpeas do their thing while you prepare the rest of the components and preheat the oven.
Bake the chickpeas up nice and crisp, then crack the oven open for a few minutes to let the chickpeas cool slightly and crisp more. You can let them hang out as long as you want this way, but even 5 minutes helps the texture. I usually make the dressing and grab all my bowls and shit in this duration.
I Vinai-grette Nothing
The vinaigrette is quite unfussy and something I usually make to accompany my own daily salads (well, I don’t eat a salad daily, but you get my point). I love white balsamic vinegar if I have it around, but you can use apple cider vinegar as well since more of you probably keep that stocked. Both are rad.
Otherwise, mix up olive oil and the vinegar with maple syrup, fresh thyme and garlic, and some dijon mustard. I always add salt and pepper after shaking and emulsifying the dressing to ensure I don’t overdo it from the get-go.
Then, grab all of your goodies and put that salad together. I’ve had a lot of coconut bacon around so I include that in this recipe, but this is not necessary; you can sub for regular bacon or even double up the chickpeas for more crunch. I almost always use avocado and right now pomegranate arils are my jam since I spent so much time separating those damn seeds out for various other projects. The last touch is some fresh grated parmesan. If you want a vegan salad, leave this out or replace with your favorite brand of vegan parm.
If you’re serving the salad right away, toss a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette into the greens to moisten up all the components when you mix everything. Otherwise, leave the salad dry and add dressing as desired. Store any leftovers separate from the vinaigrette as well. You can dish out the salad cold or bring it to room temperature.
Happy to start the last week of 2022 with a fresh offering that also might help you through the New Year if you’re hoping to kick it off on a healthier note!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Salad mania:
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Spiced Maple Walnuts
Harvest Fig and Kale Crunch Salad with Tahini Cider Dressing
kale pomegranate and maple chickpea salad with dijon vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and dried very well
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 6 cups mixed Tuscan or regular kale and arugula (or your favorite hearty greens)
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated (omit for vegan)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup coconut bacon (optional, see notes)
maple dijon vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp white balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Combine 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil with the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Spread the chickpeas in one layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing once halfway through baking, until crisped and golden. Turn the oven off and crack the door open to let the chickpeas crisp up even more while you prepare the rest of the salad. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- In a glass jar, shake together the olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, and thyme. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss the greens with a couple spoonfuls of the dressing, the chickpeas, parmesan (if using), coconut bacon (if using), avocado, and pomegranate arils. Divide into bowls and serve with additional dressing on the side.
