Crispy Pesto Chickpea Kale Orzo Salad (Vegan Gluten-Free)
This Crispy Pesto Chickpea Orzo Kale Salad is packed with massaged kale, olives, tomatoes and a simple lemon vinaigrette dressing. Add on some protein-filled crunchy chickpeas for a delicious vegan and gluten-free lunch or dinner.
I love a good chickpea salad, from crunchy chickpeas and croutons to adding in juicy legumes to lettuce bowls, chickpeas are so versatile. For this salad, I wanted to turn them into crispy little bites, which I just love. The key is a tasty red tomato pesto which adds tons of flavour to each little chickpea. Serve these with a zesty zingy kale salad, some cooked orzo and vegetables and this vegan and gluten-free meal-worthy salad is ready in less than 30 minutes.
Why will I love this salad?
This orzo salad is fantastic for so many reasons, it is:
- Light, hearty and wholesome
- Zingy, rich and zesty
- Packed with Mediterranean flavours from olives, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes
- Full of texture and crunch
- Packed with protein-rich chickpeas
- Features lots of fibrous and healthy kale
- So much better than your usual kale salad
- Great for meal prep as it keeps for 2-3 days
- High in protein, fibre and vibrancy
- Naturally vegan and nut-free
- Easily gluten-free
If you already love this salad then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first, let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredients for this salad are easy to find.
Let’s start with the chickpeas and dressing:
- Chickpeas: I love the plump, larger chickpeas from Bold Bean Co, which I have used here. They come in glass jars and are the best quality chickpeas I have tried, but tinned chickpeas are also fine. Drain away the liquid (known as aquafaba – which you can save to make Swiss roll cakes, frostings and brownies) and pat the chickpeas dry.
- Vegan tomato pesto: I love the vegan tomato pesto from Sacla’ which has tons of flavour and is so good for these chickpeas. You can also use a green pesto (make sure it is vegan and nut-free where needed) or make your own Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto or Sunflower Seed Pesto here.
- Olive oil, salt and pepper: for tossing and seasoning.
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice is so great for dressings.
- Garlic: for flavour and slight heat and tang for the dressing.
- Nutritional yeast: this adds a lovely savoury richness to the dressing without making it taste cheesy. If you don’t have any, then you can leave it out.
As for the rest of the orzo salad:
- Orzo: this little pasta is like rice in shape and size, but is made from wheat, like regular pasta. I love the texture and bite it adds to salads, making them more filling and meal-worthy. Make sure you use gluten-free orzo (or other small pasta shapes) where needed.
- Kale: I just love a good kale salad and the trick is to massage it well beforehand. This wilts the leaves, softening them and making them easier to digest and tastier. I love dinosaur kale but curly kale is also great.
- Apple cider vinegar: add this (along with some salt) to the kale as you massage it as the acidity helps to soften the leaves more.
- Olives: I like green olives, but the black ones are delicious, too.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: these add tons of flavour. chop them up small to add flavour to every mouthful.
- Grilled artichokes: these are the ones you find in oil and often herbs and are so delicious. If you are not a fan, you can add more olives and/or sun-dried tomatoes instead.
- Plum or cherry tomatoes: add freshness and juiciness to the salad.
- Mixed seeds: for crunch, healthy fats and by using seeds, we also keep this salad nut-free. I used a seed mix, but you can use any seeds.
- Freshly chopped basil: for some extra Mediterranean flavour.
- Microgreens or sprouts: these are little powerhouses of nutrients and you can either grown your own or find them in the supermarkets. My ones are from Good4U and are so delicious.
How do I make this?
You can prepare this salad in a few steps:
- Toss the chickpeas with the pesto: and roast or air fry till crispy.
- Prepare the dressing: by tossing together all the ingredients.
- Cook the orzo: till al dente.
- Massage the kale to soften the leaves: and chop all the other components.
- Toss together all the salad ingredients: and pour in the dressing.
- Serve straight away: or keep for lunches and leftovers for the next 2-3 days.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This is easily gluten-free, please use orzo (or other pasta) that is gluten-free. To keep this nut-free, make sure your pesto does not contain nuts. My Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto here uses sunflower seed instead.
How long will this last?
Once tossed together, keep this salad in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
What other salads can I make?
If you are looking for more meal prep and meal-worthy salads, how about my:
- Brussel Sprout Red Cabbage Slaw with Crunchy Chickpeas
- Ginger Roasted Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with Basil Vinaigrette
- BBQ Sweet Potato Taco Bowls
- Kale Orange and Feta Salad
Crispy Pesto Chickpea Orzo Kale Salad
This Crispy Pesto Chickpea Orzo Kale Salad is packed with massaged kale, olives, tomatoes and a simple lemon vinaigrette dressing. Add on some protein-filled crunchy chickpeas for a delicious vegan and gluten-free lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
For the Chickpeas:
- 200g chickpeas, drained weight
- 1 tbsp vegan tomato pesto
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
For the Orzo:
- 100g orzo pasta (or other small pasta, gluten-free where needed)
- 80g cavolo nero, or regular kale (de-stemmed weight)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 60g olives, sliced
- 60g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 60g grilled artichokes (in oil), roughly chopped
- 120g cherry or plum tomatoes, in ¼ or ½
- 2 tbsp mixed seeds
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
- Microgreens or sprouts, optional
For the Dressing:
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- For the chickpeas: preheat the air fryer to 180ºC (or preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC) and line a tray with parchment paper. Pat the chickpeas dry and then toss the chickpeas with the pesto in a small bowl, and then transfer to the lined tray. Lightly spray or brush with olive oil then air fry for 20 minutes (or bake for 25-30 minutes) until crispy, stirring halfway through.
- For the dressing: use the same bowl as above, without washing it out, and add all the dressing ingredients. Whisk well.
- For the orzo: cook the orzo pasta according to pack instructions, drain and leave to one side to cool slightly.
- For the kale: roughly chop the kale and add to a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and the apple cider vinegar. Massage with your hands for 30 seconds, until the leaves soften.
- To serve the salad: into the bowl with the kale, add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, plum tomatoes, seeds, chopped basil and microgreens. Add the chickpeas and pour in the dressing. Give it all a good toss and serve straight away,
- To store: keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you want to keep the chickpeas crispy, store these separately and stir these in just before serving.
Recommended Products
As a brand ambassador and affiliate, I may earn commission from links.
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Crispy Pesto Chickpea Orzo Kale Salad so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this salad, I’d love to see so please tag me in your creations, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With pesto chickpea orzo love x
Skip to Recipe