Roasted Vegetable Salad with Kale and Chickpeas [Vegan]

Here's a simple and satisfying roasted vegetable salad with raw kale, roasted carrots, potatoes, chickpeas, mustardy vinaigrette and avocado. A big bowl of vegan goodness with plenty of flavor that is filling enough to be a stand-alone dinner salad.

This roasted vegetable salad wasn't planned. It's something I threw together for dinner one night for Eddie and me, with no recipe. But we enjoyed it so much I decided to share. Sometimes good things come without a plan - simply by throwing together a bunch of stuff you love.

There's nothing gourmet or exotic about this salad, just a bunch of healthy plant-based ingredients with a simple vinaigrette - a nutritious vegan meal that satisfies! 

Why this salad is so good and so good for you

The ingredients harmonize - some raw, some cooked, a little crunch amid some tender bites, and a tasty mustard vinaigrette to tie it all together. 

• Tuscan kale (also called dinosaur kale, Lacinato and cavolo nero) is one of my favorite salad ingredients, a tender variety of kale, ideal for eating raw. Kale is a superfood, high in fiber and rich in nutrients, including vitamins C, E and K, folate and minerals. 
• Carrots, potatoes and chickpeas bring richness and substance to this dish. Roasting makes the veggies sweet and tender and the chickpeas firm and crunchy.
• The creamy mustard vinaigrette is bright and tart, a perfect complement to sweet tender roasted vegetables and savory chickpeas.
• As for the avocados, well, everything is better with avocados!

How To Make This Roasted Vegetable Salad

Here's how to get this roasted vegetable salad on the table quickly and easily:

1. Make The Vinaigrette: Preheat the oven to 425ºF and whisk up the vinaigrette. The ingredients are olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Prep The Veggies and Chickpeas: Slice the carrots and potatoes and put them into a big bowl with a can of drained chickpeas. Pat the veggies and chickpeas dry with paper towels or with a clean dish towel. This step is very important for getting the veggies nice and brown and the chickpeas crisp. When dry, toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
3. Roast the veggies and chickpeas: Spread them out in a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and cook until they're tender and browned in spots, 25-30 minutes.
4. Slice the kale: While the veggies are roasting, pull the kale leaves from the stems and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.(stems are not needed for this recipe)
5. Toss The Salad: As soon as the veggies are done, scoop them into a big bowl with the kale, pour in the vinaigrette and toss everything together. The heat of the roasted vegetables will tenderize the kale and the warm veggies will soak in the delicious dressing. Garnish with slices of avocado and enjoy!

I hesitate to list ways to enhance this roasted vegetable salad because part of the reason I love it so much is that it's so simple, and so wonderful in its simplicity.

But my mind is flooded with ideas for how to take this dish in other different delicious directions, so here you go:

Variations on The Theme

Here are my ideas. I'd love to know yours.

• Add protein on top: seared salmon, crumbled feta, shredded chicken
• Sub parsnips for the potatoes, squash for carrots, spinach for kale
• Sprinkle with toasted nuts or seeds
• Add fresh herbs such as basil or oregano
• Mix in chopped scallions or shallots.

If you like this type of veggie-centric meal, here are a few other good recipes to try:

• Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes and White Beans [vegan]
• Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Buddha Bowl [vegan]
• Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad with Feta
• my Favorite Vegetarian Chili [vegan]
• Thai Noodle Salad Bowl with Spicy Peanut Dressing [vegan option]

Here's the recipe for this Easy Roasted Vegetable Salad with Kale and Chickpeas. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and comment. I'd love to know what you think.