Garbanzo Bean Kale Salad

I love to make this Garbanzo Bean Kale Salad for my wife to have throughout the week as a flavorful side dish or snack! It's easy to make in less than 15 minutes, plus it's completely homemade from the salad to the dressing.

Love beans? Us too! Try ourChickpea Cucumber Feta Salador Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans!

A Quick Look at The Recipe

• ✅Recipe Name: Garbanzo Bean Kale Salad
• ⏲️Ready in: 15 minutes
• 👪Makes: 6 servings
• 📋Main ingredients: Garbanzo Beans, Lacinato Kale, Lemony Dressing
• ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: It's ready in less than 15 minutes and you can store it in your fridge all week to serve as a side dish or a snack.

Have a question about the recipe? Ask Ai!

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Why This Recipe

My wife and I are HUGE bean people. The biggest bean people you'll meet. We love to make this Garbanzo Bean Kale Salad or Cowboy Caviar Salad to have in the fridge to pull out whenever we need something extra throughout the week. Serve it with a quick protein like Lemon Garlic Broiled Flounder, Spicy Chipotle Chicken Skewers, or Cast Iron Chicken Breast.

If you're looking for a side dish to add to your menu, add this quick and simple bean salad for a delicious Mediterranean flavor for a side dish! You don't have to roast the beans or anything for this easy garbanzo bean kale salad.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Lacinato Kale - This is the key ingredient to this recipe. I wouldn't substitute any other kind of kale. Lacinato kale is the most tender, and we use it in both our Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan)and Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad
• Garbanzo Beans - Garbanzo beans or chickpeas just have a bit more texture than a white northern bean or cannellini bean, which makes this salad a real "ruffage" salad. If you prefer something softer, substitute cannellini or northern beans.
• Feta - Feta makes the salad just a little creamy once it combines with the dressing, and it's perfect for the texture. You can use crumbled feta or a block of feta.
• Cherry Tomatoes - I prefer the juicy, sweet flavor and softer texture of a cherry tomato, but you could substitute chopped grape tomatoes or sliced roma tomatoes.
• Dressing - We make a homemade Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette with the ingredients shown in the image above, but you could use a Greek or Italian dressing from the store. Or try our Lemon Basil Vinaigrette.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

How to Make a Garbanzo Bean Kale Salad

Step 1: Remove the stems from the kale and chop as shown in PHOTO 1. Pinch the bottom of the stem, wrap your fingers in a circle around the leaves, and pull the stem. You can see below in the video.

*If you are eating right away, I recommend massaging the kale with olive oil for a few minutes to tenderize it.

Step 2: In a mason jar or small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, dijon, salt, and pepper. Whisk well or shake in a jar to combine.

Step 3: In a large bowl, combine kale, garbanzo beans, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Step 4: Stir the dressing into the salad to combine.

Step 5: Eat immediately or refrigerate to marinate and enjoy later.

Add extra dressing when serving and serve with crusty Italian bread or Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons! It's perfect on the side of Baked Red Snapper!

Pro-Tips

1. For the longest-lasting results, lay the garbanzo beans on a paper towel to dry after rinsing. 
2. Marinating the kale will help tenderize and break down the fibrous cell walls, but if you want to enjoy it immediately, you can massage the kale with olive oil to manually tenderize. 
3. Save some extra dressing to combine with the salad when serving. 

Serving Suggestions

• Side Dish - Garbanzo Bean Kale salad is the perfect side for classic Italian protein dishes like Italian Chicken Cutlets, Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese, or The BEST Chicken Piccata! Or have it with a classic seafood dish like Pan-Seared Vermilion Snapperor Pistachio Crusted Baked Sea Bass.
• Soup and Salad - There's nothing more traditional than a soup and a salad. Serve with some easy soups like Creamy Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soupor Zuppa Toscana.
• Sandwich Salad Combo - Lunch with a sandwich and salad is easy and perfect for the weekends. Serve garbanzo bean kale salad with Gruyere Grilled Cheese, Chopped Italian Sandwich, or a Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich.

Recipe FAQs

What are some common mistakes when making a garbanzo bean kale salad?

Using curly kale instead of a tender kale like lacinato kale. Not removing the tough stems from the kale. Not marinating or massaging the kale leaves to break up the fibrous plant cell wall.

Do I have to remove the shell from the garbanzo beans?

No, I don't mind it, and it's ultimately time-consuming. You can remove it if they bother you.

How do you make kale soft and not bitter?

You can massage the kale with olive oil for 5 minutes or marinate in dressing for 2 hours or more.

More Italian Bean Recipes

• White Bean Lentil Soup
• Escarole and Bean Soup
• Italian Radicchio Salad
• Italian Green Bean Salad