Chopped Kale Power Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This Chopped Kale Power Salad is packed with so many delicious ingredients!  It’s healthy, filling and so flavorful.  It’s great for lunch, dinner and can easily be meal prepped.

*This recipe was originally published on 1/3/16.  Today I have republished it with updated photos and text.

One of my favorite things to eat are salads that are loaded with all kinds of goodies.  This Chopped Kale Power Salad is the perfect example of what I love.  It’s packed with kale, sweet potato, avocado, chickpeas, almonds, dried cranberries and red onion.  It’s also topped with a super easy lemon tahini dressing!

I originally developed this recipe quite a few years ago and it still happens to be one that I make all the time!  It’s great for lunch or dinner and can easily be made into a meal prep lunch so you can enjoy it all week long.

WHAT IS A POWER SALAD?

When I hear the words “Power Salad” I automatically think of a big salad that is packed with healthy veggies, protein, carbs, nuts and even fruit sometimes.  A power salad can be eaten for a substantial lunch or dinner and it will leave you feeling happy and full.  It’s definitely not dinner side salad material 🙂

CHOPPED KALE POWER SALAD INGREDIENTS

• Kale – I love raw kale!  I know a lot of people don’t quite feel the same way, so if you’ve tried massaged kale in a salad and you still don’t like it, then you could substitute any other kind of green you like.  If you think you don’t like kale but you’ve never tried it massaged in a salad, I would urge you to give it a try and it might surprise you!
• Chickpeas – I love adding chickpeas to my salads because they add protein, they’re a no prep ingredient and they have a pretty mild taste so they won’t interfere with any other strong flavors.
• Sweet Potato – Roasted sweet potato is great in salads because it adds nutrients, it makes it feel more filling and the sweet flavor goes great with all the other power salad ingredients.
• Avocado – Avocado is great to add to anything because it has heart healthy fats and adds a nice creamy texture.
• Dried Cranberries – I love having some sweetness in my salad.  Dried cranberries are great because they’re slightly chewy and are a little sweet and a little tart.
• Almonds – I prefer to use roasted nuts in my salads instead of croutons when I can.  Nuts are full of heart healthy fats and they add a crunchy element.
• Red Onion – I love raw onion to my salads!  This salad has a rich, creamy dressing and I feel like the onion does a nice job of cutting through that richness.

WHAT KIND OF DRESSING SHOULD I USE?

You can use whatever kind of dressing you like on this Chopped Kale Power Salad!  But, I would highly recommend my super quick and easy homemade lemon tahini dressing.  It’s creamy and tangy and goes perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.  All you need is tahini, lemon juice and salt.  

A Quick note about the tahini-

I’ve found that some tahini brands are really bitter and the different brands can also vary in thickness.  If you find yourself with a more bitter tasting tahini, you can add a little maple syrup to help counter that bitterness.  Also, you may end up needing to add more or less liquid that my recipe suggests if you have a super thick or thin tahini sauce.

Check out more delicious and filling vegetarian salads below:

Asian Kale Power Salad

Southwestern Kale Power Salad

Fall Harvest Salad

Mexican Kale Salad

Vegetarian Cobb Salad

Chopped Kale Power Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

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5 from 20 reviews

• Author: Isadora Lassance
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Chopped Kale Power Salad is satisfying, filling and delicious!  It’s packed with tons of healthy ingredients and topped with an easy lemon tahini dressing.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (you should get about 5–6 cups)
• 2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bunch of curly kale, washed, stem removed and chopped (you should get 7–8 cups)
• Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large avocado, pitted and diced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Lemon Tahini Dressing:

• 1/2 cup tahini
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3–6 tablespoons warm water, depending on how thick you want the dressing

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. On a large sheet pan, toss together the diced sweet potato with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bake sweet potato until fork tender, 35-40 minutes, flipping once.
2. Prepare the kale while the sweet potatoes are baking. Add the chopped kale to a large bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice of 1/2 a large lemon and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to massage the kale and make sure everything is mixed together, about 1 minute. Set kale aside until sweet potatoes are finished baking.
3. Make the dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until a creamy dressing is formed. Add the water slowly until desired consistency is reached.
4. There are two ways you can assemble the salad: You can add all ingredients to the bowl with the kale and mix until combined. Add desired amount of dressing to each individual serving. Or, you can add the kale mixture to separate bowls and evenly top with remaining ingredients.

Notes

*If making a big batch for a party or for packed lunches it works best to mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. If having people over for lunch and serving them individually it might work better to evenly distribute the kale and then top with remaining ingredients.
*I would recommend always leaving the dressing separate and adding it on just before eating. This salad will keep well in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Salad, Gluten Free, Vegan
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American