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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Published: Sep 26, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

    Tahini Kale Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This vegan tahini kale salad is light and fresh, full of flavour and so healthy too! Enjoy your greens with sweet apple, crunchy seeds and creamy tahini for a tasty lunch or side dish.

    tahini kale salad in a white bowl next to wooden salad servers and two red apples.

    Whether it is for summer BBQs and picnics or holiday celebrations, side salads are always a must on my table! Quick and easy ideas such as my kale apple slaw, tropical mango slaw, air fryer romaine lettuce and quinoa arugula salad are such favourites in my home, so I hope they come to be enjoyed by yours too!

    Love kale salads? Check out my kale wild rice salad for another lunch idea!

    This tahini kale salad has the best creamy tahini dressing, with a hint of spice from the garlic and a touch of sweetness from the maple syrup. It's easy to make, super healthy and tastes great too!

    Not a fan of spinach or kale in your salads? Check out my 10 best spinach substitutes and 10 best kale substitutes posts for more ideas for leafy greens for salads!

    Jump to:
    • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
    • 🥬 Ingredients
    • 📖 Swaps and variations
    • 🔪 Step by step instructions
    • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
    • 📋 Frequently asked questions
    • 🥗 How to serve tahini kale salad
    • 🥒 More tasty fresh salads
    • 📖 Recipe

    ⭐ Why this recipe is so good

    Healthy comfort food vibes. Kale as comfort food I hear you ask? Well, I think this recipe with massaged kale in a creamy dressing feels like comfort food!

    Uses pantry staples. Apples and kale are always on my shopping list, and the other ingredients are typical pantry staples.

    Quick and easy. Don't be put off by the step of massaging kale - it takes just a few minutes! All super simple to do.

    🥬 Ingredients

    individually labelled ingredients to make tahini kale salad including apple and pumpkin seeds.

    All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

    Some notes on a few of them:

    • Kale - I suggest using curly kale, baby kale or Lacinato as they work well in salads.
    • Tahini - the light tahini has a better flavour for salad dressings than dark tahini, which can be a bit bitter.
    • Apple - I like to use red apples as they are sweeter, but if you like the slightly more sour taste of green apples they work too!

    📖 Swaps and variations

    Swap apple cider vinegar for lemon juice. If citrus works for you then use a squeeze in the dressing.

    Swap apple for salad vegetables. Prefer a more savoury salad? Add sliced radish, English cucumber or beets instead.

    🔪 Step by step instructions

    Making this tahini kale salad is very simple, and has just a few steps:

    diced kale on a wooden chopping board labelled number one.
    shredded kale in a glass bowl labelled number two.

    Step 1

    Prepare the kale. Remove the hard stems from the kale, then dice finely (image 1).

    Step 2

    Massage the kale. Add the kale to a large bowl, then pour on the olive oil and salt. Massage between your fingers for a minute or so. It will soften and wilt (image 2).

    pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a light grey skillet labelled number three.
    tahini dressing being stirred by a spoon in a white bowl labelled number four.

    Step 3

    Toast the seeds. Add the pumpkin and sesame seeds to a dry pan and heat on low for 4-5 minutes until they very slightly brown (image 3). The pumpkin seeds may also start to pop. Stir occasionally to prevent any burning.

    Step 4

    Make the tahini dressing. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk or stir until it forms a creamy dressing (image 4).

    Assemble the salad. Combine the kale, apple and seeds and then stir through the dressing so it is all coated. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    💭 Recipe tips and notes

    • Don't skip massaging the kale! If you do it could taste tough and slightly bitter. Just a few minutes of giving the kale some attention makes such a difference and it becomes soft and delicious.
    • Adjust the dressing. If you wish to thin the tahini dressing add a touch of extra water. To thicken, add more tahini and stir again.
    • Dice the apple last. Apple tends to brown very quickly, so dice just before you serve the salad.
    • Love garlic? Add another clove for some extra heat and spice!

    📋 Frequently asked questions

    Which types of kale are best for salads?

    I suggest using curly kale, baby kale or Lacinato kale for salads as they have a softer texture once prepared as above.

    How long does it take to massage kale?

    It's super quick - just a minute or two is all you need to do!

    Is this tahini kale salad vegan?

    Yes, it's a vegan salad as we don't use mayo or any dairy. It's also gluten free.

    🥗 How to serve tahini kale salad

    Side salads work just as well for summer as for special occasions in the colder months. Serve this vegan kale salad in a few ways:

    • Just as a light lunch! Enjoy by itself, perhaps with some extra seeds, fruit or vegetables.
    • As a side for summer BBQs with main dishes such as my coconut spice chicken skewers, turkey herb skewers and my sweet potato burgers.
    • For holiday celebrations (whatever the weather!) along with dishes such as my easy cauliflower hummus, beetroot broccoli salad and my creamy vegetable pasta salad.
    tahini kale salad in a white bowl with red apples and a jar of pumpkin seeds in the background.

    🥒 More tasty fresh salads

    Find easy to make and healthy salad recipes, including my popular butternut and beetroot salad and my pretty spiced turmeric cauliflower salad. Some recent recipes to enjoy:

    • romaine lettuce halves on a white plate on a blue cloth.
      Air Fryer Romaine Lettuce
    • pesto orzo salad on a white plate next to red apples and a cream striped cloth.
      Pesto Orzo Salad
    • mango cucumber salad in a white bowl next to fresh cilantro leaves.
      Mango Cucumber Salad
    • cucumber beetroot salad on a white plate with a silver spoon next to a bowl of pumpkin seeds.
      Cucumber Beetroot Salad

    I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating or comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    tahini kale salad in a white bowl next to red apples and a glass jar of pumpkin seeds.

    Tahini Kale Salad

    Claire
    This tahini kale salad has the best creamy tahini dressing, sweet fruit and crunch from seeds. Serve as a light lunch or side for summer BBQs or holiday celebrations.
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Lunch, Party food, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 117 kcal

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    • Whisk

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 oz kale
    • 1 apple diced
    • 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil

    For the tahini dressing

    • ¼ cup tahini
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 garlic clove minced or finely diced
    • ½ teaspoon maple syrup optional
    • pinch salt
    • pinch black pepper
    • 3 tablespoon water

    Instructions
     

    • Remove the hard stems from the kale, and dice very finely.
    • Add the kale to a large bowl, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt and pour in a teaspoon of olive oil. Massage the kale so it softens and wilts, takes just a few minutes.
    • Toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a dry skillet (without oil) until they start to slightly brown and pop.
    • Make the tahini dressing by combining the ingredients and whisking well. Add more water to thin the dressing if required.
    • Add the apple, toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds to the kale and drizzle over the tahini dressing. Toss to combine and coat the kale in the dressing.

    Notes

    • Be sure to remove the hard tough stems from the kale, and to massage it. It will be quite tough if you skip this step.
    • To thicken the tahini dressing add a little more tahini. To thin, a little more water. Adjust to preference.
    • Move the seeds around in the skillet to prevent any burning as they toast.
    • Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate not a guarantee.
     
    Swiss Interest Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
    All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
    • kale is not rated. It is low histamine on other lists.
    • sesame (also for tahini), apple cider vinegar and garlic, which all score 1.
    • black pepper, which scores 2.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 209mgPotassium: 178mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1912IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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    Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

    More about me →

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    Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice in any way.

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