BIG Kale Pasta Salad
Kale Pasta Salad is a cold, meal-worthy pasta salad made with tender massaged kale, chickpeas, grape tomatoes, red onion, Parmesan, and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette. It’s budget-friendly and easy to prep ahead!
Servings: 6 2 cups each
Calories: 416kcal
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil $0.85
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar $0.42
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise $0.15
- ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard $0.09
- 1 garlic clove minced, $0.08
- ½ tsp dried basil $0.05
- ¼ tsp salt $0.02
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.02
Salad
- 8 oz. penne pasta uncooked, $0.67
- 8 oz. chopped kale $1.50*
- 1 pint grape tomatoes $2.00
- ½ red onion $0.22
- 15 oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed, $1.09**
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, $0.72
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette first. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mayonnaise, Dijon, minced garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Set the dressing aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and boil until tender (7-8 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander and allow it to cool.
- Add the kale to a large bowl. Drizzle ⅓ of the prepared balsamic dressing over the kale and then use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale. Massage the kale for 3-5 minutes, or until it has wilted to half its volume.
- Slice the grape tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, and rinse and drain the chickpeas.
- Add the drained and cooled pasta to the bowl with the kale, along with the tomatoes, onions, chickpeas, and Parmesan.
- Pour the rest of the dressing over top, then stir the salad until everything is evenly combined and coated in dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
*If not using pre-chopped kale, simply remove the stems and tear or chop the kale into small pieces. Rinse and drain the kale well before using it in the salad.
**Chickpeas help make this pasta salad more filling while still keeping it budget-friendly. White beans, kidney beans, or chopped hard-boiled eggs would also work well. See the What Else Can I Add? section below for more add-in ideas!
Meal prep: If you’re making this kale pasta salad for meal prep, I’d set aside the remaining dressing after massaging the salad. Store the dressing and salad separately in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Pasta soaks up dressing as it chills, so stirring in that reserved dressing right before serving helps ensure the salad is well dressed.
Dressing options: If you're not into balsamic dressing or you just don't want to make your own, any store-bought vinaigrette-style dressing will be great with this salad. Italian dressing, Caesar dressing, or tomato basil vinaigrette would also be good.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 512mg | Fiber: 7g