Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
This super versatile kale salad features an amazing tahini dressing. Just add massaged kale, leftover cooked grains and veggies from your crisper drawer. Recipe yields 1 hearty meal-sized salad, so multiply as necessary.
Ingredients
Per salad
- ½ medium bunch kale, preferably the Tuscan/lacinato variety, or several handfuls of your favorite greens
- 1 cup leftover cooked grains (I love brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, farro or wheat berries…)
- 2 carrots, sliced into long ribbons with a julienne peeler or regular veggie peeler
- 1 radish, thinly sliced and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds, toasted
- More ideas: halved cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, chopped bell pepper, whatever else strikes your fancy…
Green tahini dressing (yields about ¾ cup, so you’ll have plenty for future salads)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup lime juice (about 3 to 4 medium limes)
- Handful of fresh cilantro
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for extra heat
Instructions
- To prepare the kale (skip this step if you’re using any other kind of fresh green), first use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the center ribs from the kale, then discard the ribs. Chop the kale into small, bite-sized pieces. Then, sprinkle the kale lightly with salt, and massage the kale by scrunching handfuls at a time until the kale is darker in color and fragrant. This step reduces the bitterness in the kale and improves its texture.
- In a bowl, combine the prepared kale, leftover grains (I like to warm mine a bit in the microwave first), carrot, radishes, toasted pepitas, and/or your toppings of choice.
- To make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste, and blend in additional salt if the dressing needs a little more oomph. If you’d like spicier dressing, blend in a pinch of red pepper flakes. If the dressing is too bold for your liking, dilute it with a little more olive oil and blend again.
- Drizzle the green tahini dressing generously over the salad (you’ll still have plenty leftover) and enjoy.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use a gluten-free option like rice or quinoa.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Storage suggestions: This dressing keeps well, refrigerated, for about 1 week.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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