Go Back
crispy chickpeas on a salad salad with tahini dressing
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Air Fried Chickpea Salad

Shawarma seasoned chickpeas, air fried until crispy, and served on lemony kale salad with apricots, sunflower seeds, and creamy tahini dressing!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad, Sauces
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Keyword: chickpeas, kale, salad, salad dressing, tahini, tahini sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Nicole Vranjican

Equipment

  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 2 small mixing bowls
  • 1 air fryer

Ingredients

For the chickpeas

  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp shawarma seasoning recipe below or you can use a store-bought blend

For the salad

  • 14 cups de-stemmed and chopped kale about 1-2 large bunches
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice plus extra lemon wedges for serving
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ½ cup chopped dried apricots
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds shelled and roasted

Smokey Tahini Dressing

  • 4 tbsp light and runny tahini such as Soom
  • 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 5-6 tbsp water

Homemade Shawarma Seasoning Blend

  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp kosher salt I use Morton's
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 dashes ground allspice or nutmeg

Instructions

Prep

  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pat dry with a clean cloth. Dry chickpeas = crispier chickpeas! Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and set aside for now.
    Then chop the red onion and dried apricots and set aside. De-stem and chop the kale into small bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

Make the Chickpeas

  • If you're using store-bought shawarma seasoning, skip to the next step 😊 If you're making your own blend, combine the spices listed above in a small bowl and mix well.
    Note: You'll have leftover seasoning with the recipe! You can use it up when cooking vegan chicken, roasting veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, or you can mix it into plain vegan yogurt with lemon juice for a tasty dipping sauce.
  • Then add 2 tbsp of shawarma seasoning and 1 tbsp of olive oil to the chickpeas and toss well to coat. Transfer the seasoned chickpeas to the air fryer and set to 400 degrees.
    Cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking the chickpeas halfway through to encourage even browning.

Make the Tahini Dressing

  • Combine the tahini, Dijon mustard, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, and smoked paprika. Mix well and then add the water 1 tbsp at a time until fully incorporated. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Make the Salad

  • Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice to the bowl with the kale and massage for one minute. Then add 2 tbsp of the tahini dressing and massage again for 30 seconds.
  • Then add the red onions, apricots, and sunflower seeds. Top with the crispy chickpeas, and remaining salad dressing. Serve with lemon wedges on the side and enjoy!

Notes

If you're making this for meal prep, go ahead and massage the kale with 2 tbsp of dressing like the recipe says, but then wait to add the rest of the dressing until you're ready to serve. So you would massage the kale, add the onions, apricots, sunflower seeds, and crispy chickpeas...toss and then place in an airtight container until ready to serve 👩🏻‍🍳