A quick and healthy summer side dish
With my two boys constantly tugging at my pants, I am always looking for the fastest and easiest dishes I can pull together. Whether you need a quick side for dinner or an easy dish to bring to a party, this vegan kale, chickpea, and pesto salad is super simple.
I am not a fan of mayonnaise so I try to think outside of the “mayo-box.” I know sides like coleslaw, potato or macaroni salad all have non-mayo versions but if I need a dish for a party, chances are that someone else will bring some iteration of those so I like to go an alternate route.
I pulled together this quick and easy vegan kale pesto salad on short notice. As with a lot of our meals, it was the result of using ingredients we already had on hand.
We are a big smoothie family so we usually have kale in the fridge. I typically have chickpeas in the pantry because of their versatility. And I always have a container of Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto in our house. The Italian in me considers it the glue that can pull a variety of ingredients together into a meal.
You do not have to use the Trader Joe’s pesto for this recipe to be delicious. Any pesto will do. *Just keep in mind that the reason this kale and pesto salad is vegan is because the pesto I use from Trader Joe’s is a vegan product.*
Many pestos are made with cheese. If you use a different store-bought or homemade pesto, the dish will still be delicious but may no longer be vegan.
Here is a recipe for a vegan pesto as well as a recipe for traditional basil pesto if you are looking to make your own.
Ok, let’s get to it!
Easy Vegan Kale, Chickpea & Pesto Salad
Ingredients:
- 5 Cups of kale (rinsed, dried and chopped)
- 1 Can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (rinsed)
- 1/3 Cup of Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto (or any pesto of your choosing – reminder, dish may no longer be vegan)
Directions:
- Toss kale, chickpeas and pesto in a bowl
- Refrigerate until ready to eat
- That’s it! (Did I mention this was the easiest side dish ever?)
If you are not concerned about keeping the dish vegan, I recommend topping with freshly grated parmesan to add even more depth of flavor.
Enjoy!
