Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing is going to be your new favorite cold weather salad! It's healthy, hearty, and filled with so many flavors and textures.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

If you find it difficult to incorporate fresh produce into your meals during the winter, try eating more kale! This salad is perfect for cooler weather, since kale thrives during the late fall, winter, and early spring.

This favorite kale salad is plant-based, gluten free, and so easy to make! Simply toss all the ingredients together and drizzle with a Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing.

Do you want more kale salad recipes? Try this Fall Kale Salad with Sweet Potato or this Kale Crunch Salad.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• Kale: Chopped, with stems removed. Use your favorite type of kale like Curly, Red, Lacinto, or Baby Kale. Read more about the different types of kale.
• Chickpeas: A can of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained.
• Almonds: Sliced almonds. You can substitute for your favorite type of nut or seed, like walnuts or pepitas.
• Parmesan: Freshly shredded or shaved parmesan cheese, optional.
• Avocado: A ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped.
• Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onion, optional.

For the Creamy Tahini Dressing

• Tahini: This is what makes the dressing extra creaming. Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds, and it can be found in most grocery stores.
• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is a must!
• Honey: To add a little sweetness. Use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
• Water: Cold water to thin out the dressing and give it the creamiest texture.
• Garlic: A clove of minced garlic.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste.

How to Make Kale Tahini Salad

1. Place the kale and ¼ teaspoon olive oil in a large bowl. Using your finger tips, massage the kale for about 1 minute until it starts to soften.
2. Assemble the salad. Add the chickpeas, avocado, almonds, parmesan, and red onion to the kale. Toss to combine. Set aside.
3. Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together or shake all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. If it's too think, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until coated. Serve and enjoy!

Expert Tip: Don't skip the step of massaging the kale with olive oil. This gives it the best texture! It will be more enjoyable to eat and easier to digest.

Variations

• Add more veggies. Use your favorite veggies like radishes or roasted sweet potatoes.
• Top with some fruit. Chopped apples or dried cranberries are great options.
• Swap out the protein. Instead of chickpeas, you can top the salad with tofu or grilled chicken.
• Turn it into a well rounded meal. Add cooked quinoa to the salad.
• Use different greens. If you're not a fan of kale, you can used your favorite type of greens or a mixed greens.
• Prefer a different type of cheese? Instead of parmesan use your favorite type of cheese like feta, goat cheese, or blue cheese.
• Make it dairy-free. Simply leave out the parmesan!
• Make it vegan. Leave out the cheese, and swap the honey for maple syrup in the dressing.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing for a lunch, light dinner, or side dish. It's great with garlic bread or pita bread. It's even the perfect side for grilled chicken or fish.

You can even meal prep this salad. Kale holds its own, so it doesn't get soggy as quickly as other types of salads. You can prepare this salad ahead of time, just be sure to add the avocado just before serving to prevent it from browning. This will last for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Recipes with Kale

• Kale and Mushroom Frittata
• Sweet Potato and Kale Quinoa Bowls
• Lemon Kale Pasta with Salmon

If you make this recipe, don't forget to come back and leave a 5-star rating and a comment below.

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