Kale Salad With 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.

Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

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Serves: 1 Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ medium bunch kale, preferably the Tuscan/lacinato variety, or several handfuls of your favorite greens
  • 1 cup leftover cooked grains (I love long-grain brown 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

1

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

Drizzle the green tahini dressing generously over the salad (you’ll still have plenty leftover) and enjoy.

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