This tahini kale salad uses a creamy tahini-based dressing, honey roasted pecans, raisins, and apple slices to layer pops of sweetness into a normally bitter salad. Give this simple recipe a try and i’m sure it will quickly become one of your favorite kale salads!
I love using tahini with sweet things, it’s nutty flavor really goes well with a squirt of honey or maple syrup for the salad dressing. If you’re a food nerd like me, try making your own tahini. It’s so easy and will save you money on a jar of expensive tahini at the store. Simply grind up a bunch of sesame seeds in a food processor until smooth, I usually splash in a bit of water and oil to help the mixture grind better.
Other salad recipes to try
The honey roasted pecans in this recipe are my easy and lazy way to make candied nuts, just coat some pecans in honey or maple syrup and toss in the oven and toast for 10 minutes or so. Make sure to let them dry and cool completely before handling them, that way the honey will solidify and stay crunchy.
I know most people prefer dino or lacinato kale for kale salads, but I really like normal curly kale. It’s a little bit more bitter, but I enjoy the texture and when mixed with a sweet dressing you can barely taste the bitterness. I like to let the greens sit for at least 15 minutes before serving because that helps tamper the bitterness and tenderize the chopped kale.
Also, a plus to kale salads is that they stay great in fridge for another day or two before wilting too much. So this tahini kale salad is great recipe to prep a day in advance for a big dinner party. Just be sure to separate the honey roasted pecans because they will get soggy.
Tahini Kale Salad with Roasted Honey Pecans
Ingredients
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 4 tbsp tahini, (preferably homemade)
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, (minced)
- 1 lemon, (juiced)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and fresh pepper, (to taste)
Salad
- 1 cup pecans
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 bunches kale, (curly or dino, stems removed and torn into bit sizes pieces)
- 1/2 cup raisins, (or dried cranberries)
- 1 apple, (cut into thin slices)
- shaved parmesan, (for serving)
- sea salt and fresh pepper, (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Then, in a small bowl toss the pecans and honey until well mixed. Place the pecans onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Let the pecans cool completely before handling.
- While the pecans are baking prepare the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined.
- Toss the chopped kale with the dressing and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Plate the kale and top with raisins, apple slices, honey-roasted pecans, shaved parmesan, and some sea salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
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