Purple Kale Millet Salad

A vibrant kale and millet salad with chickpeas, grapes, cucumber, and a sweet Medjool date dressing. This nourishing millet recipe is hearty, fresh, and full of texture — the perfect chickpea kale salad for healthy lunches or plant-forward dinners.

Course Salad

Cuisine International

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Dietary Egg Free, Nut Free, Plant-Based

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 287kcal

Author Amy Chung

Ingredients

Salad

½ cup pearl millet
1½ cup water
6 stalks purple kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cucumber medium
1 can chickpea (400g)
½ cup red grapes

Salad Dressing

3 Medjool dates pitted
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ lemon juiced
½ orange juiced
1 garlic clove minced

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

How To Cook Millet

Rinse millet to remove dust and debris.
In a small saucepan, dry toast millet for about 2-3 minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cover with the lid and let it cook for about 10 – 12 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Remove from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Preparing the Rest of the Salad

Remove kale leaves from the rib.
Add olive oil and massage the leaves for 5 minutes until soft. Tear into smaller pieces.
Dice cucumber.
Drain chickpea and wash thoroughly.
Cut grapes in half

Salad Dressing

Add all ingredients into a food processor.
Blitz until well combined and dates are pureed as much as possible.

Assembly

In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients.
Mix until well combined.
Serve.

Video

Notes

- Want to change up some greens? For a milder taste, baby spinach leaves are a good variation. For a peppery kick, opt for some arugula.
- If you can't find purple kale, green kale will suffice. Otherwise, you can try collard greens for a similar texture but slightly different flavour.
- Add some protein if you'd like to make a real meal out of this easy millet salad, add cubed and grilled tofu for a plant-based protein boost or shredded or grilled chicken for a non-vegetarian option.
- Understand not everyone is a fan of chickpeas. Substitute with edamame beans, peas or black beans for a different texture and flavour. You can also use cooked lentils for a protein-rich alternative.
- With all the fruit already present in the millet salad, you can choose to add or replace with diced apples for a crunchy and sweet addition, pomegranate seeds for a tart burst or dried cranberries instead of dates in the dressing for a tangy flavour.
- Substitute almonds with walnuts for a richer taste. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds for a nut-free option.
- If you're not a fan of sweet fruit in your salad, replace grapes with tomatoes (yes, they’re fruit too, but you know what we mean!).

Nutrition