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Kale salad with chickpeas and buttermilk dressing.
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5 from 9 votes

Kale Salad with Cajun Spiced Chickpeas and Buttermilk Dressing

This kale salad is spiked with cajun spiced chickpeas, a tangy homemade buttermilk dressing, slivers of red onion, and a light dusting of Parmesan cheese.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Total Cost: $3.93 recipe / $0.98 serving
Servings: 4
Calories: 341.23kcal
Author: Beth Moncel

Ingredients

BUTTERMILK DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk $0.30
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise $0.37
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice $0.07
  • 1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste) $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder $0.03
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano $0.03
  • Freshly cracked black pepper $0.03

CAJUN SPICED CHICKPEAS*

  • 1 15oz. can chickpeas $0.99
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
  • 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder $0.03
  • 1/8 tsp onion powder $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano $0.03
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
  • 1/8 tsp dried thyme $0.02
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

SALAD

  • 1 bunch lacinato kale (about 1/2 lb.) $1.50
  • 1/4 red onion $0.20
  • 1.5 Tbsp grated Parmesan $0.20

Instructions

  • Prepare the dressing first, so the flavors have time to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk dressing ingredients (buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Taste the dressing and add more salt if desired. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
  • Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse with cool water. Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet and place over a medium flame. Add the drained chickpeas along with the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, thyme, and another 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill. Sauté the chickpeas and spices for about five minutes, or until the chickpeas are slightly toasted. Remove from the heat.
  • Remove the stems from the kale, then slice the kale leaves into thin strips (see step by step photos below for more detail). Rinse the kale with cool water and allow the excess water to drain away. Thinly slice the red onion.
  • To build the salad, place the washed kale in a large bowl (or four serving bowls), add the spiced chickpeas, a few slices of red onion, and a light dusting of Parmesan (about 1 tsp per serving). Finally, taste the buttermilk dressing after it has had time to refrigerate and adjust the salt if needed. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and then serve.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Feel free to use a store bought premixed Cajun seasoning blend (about 1/2 Tbsp). Just check to see if it contains salt or not. If not, add salt as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 341.23kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.68g | Protein: 9.83g | Fat: 22.53g | Sodium: 1042.65mg | Fiber: 8.1g