While your pasta water comes to a boil, prepare all your vegetables: remove the kale stems and finely chop the leaves, slice the red onion into thin half-moons, cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch half-moons, halve or quarter the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces, and cube the mozzarella into 1/2-inch pieces. Set everything aside in separate bowls. In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant (about 3-4 minutes)—this brings out their natural oils and nutty flavor. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process—this prevents it from becoming mushy in the salad. While the pasta cooks, make your dressing: combine the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil in a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds until well combined and the basil is finely incorporated. I like to use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil here because it creates a smooth, luxurious base for the dressing without needing to overwork it.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta from Step 2, the chopped kale from Step 1, sliced red onion, cucumber half-moons, tomato pieces, and the chickpeas. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the mixture and toss thoroughly, making sure every component is well coated. I recommend letting the salad sit for 5-10 minutes after dressing so the kale can soften slightly and absorb the flavors—this makes a big difference in the final texture and taste.

Just before serving, fold in the mozzarella cubes from Step 1 and top with the toasted pine nuts from Step 1. Gently toss to avoid breaking up the mozzarella, and taste for seasoning—adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Serve immediately or chill until ready to eat.