• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cosette's Kitchen logo

  • Home
  • Virtual Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
    • Baking
      • Cookies
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dinner
      • Side Dishes
    • Lebanese
    • Salads
  • About Me
  • Work Together
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Virtual Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
  • A little about me
  • Let’s Work Together
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Salad

    January 8, 2021

    Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    More Greens with our Cookies

    I know it's January which means less baked goods and more soups and salads, am I right? Truth be told, I'm not a person that goes full on crazy in January eliminating everything in my diet. I do however like to reassess and reexamine how many vegetables and proteins I can get vs how many cookies I eat. This Kale Salad with Chicken and Tahini Dressing is SUCH a simple and beautiful way to incorporate healthy fats, lean protein and greens - which our bodies are DEFINITELY craving right now.

    • Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
    • Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

    Winter Salads

    Sometimes I think that the term Winter Salad is an oxymoron - shouldn't a salad be filled with fresh summer produce? But truth be told, winter salads are some of my favorite. Using winter fruits such as apples, persimmons, pomegranates, pears or citrus make for a wonderful fresh and hearty salad. Like this Kale and Quinoa Salad with Apples and Pomegranate.

    I also love adding more protein such as beans, chicken and even protein from our tahini dressing. Our bodies definitely crave more when it's cold outside. While in the summer, I may use some fresh arugula or spring greens for a salad, winter salads scream KALE! Kale is one of my favorite greens to use in salads for a few reasons - it's packed with nutrients and antioxidants like beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Probably even more than the nutritional standpoint, I love that I can make a salad with kale and still enjoy it the next day. Most salads can't hold up to dressing but kale definitely can. The leaves are thicker, more waxy and while they allow dressing to coat - they don't get soggy quickly. It makes for a wonderful treat to dress a salad and enjoy the next day.

    Tahini

    Tahini is such a staple in Levant/Arab cuisine. Many dishes like shawarma or arnabeet (fried cauliflower) are topped with a drizzle of tarator - which is tahini, garlic, lemon, salt and water. A simple sauce that packs ultimate flavor. Tahini is also used in sweets - almost as a peanut butter or nut butter replacement, like in this tahini banana bread or as a non-sticking agent like in these namoura bars. Can we just go ahead and call tahini the condiment of the year? It really is that good!

    Tahini is simply ground up sesame seeds, which is a wonderful source of fat and richness to any dish. In this dish, we're going to combine a classic combination - tahini, lemon, garlic, salt with a hint of sweetness to create a creamy, tangy and thick dressing that will coat our kale leaves beautifully.

    • Tahini Dressing

    Ingredients

    Let's find out what we'll need to make this delightful winter salad!

    Kale Salad Ingredients

    Kale - My preference is using Lacinato Kale - sometimes called Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale. It's a much darker and more leaf like vs the common curly kale. It is absolutely your preference and definitely use whatever you have on hand. It's best to use simply the leaves and remove the stem. But if you're a little bit lazy like me, you'll just pick up a bag of pre-washed, pre-cut from Trader Joe's and call it a day - stems and all. I do still try and remove some of the larger ones when I massage the kale.

    Carrots - Really for a pop of color I like to shred some carrots and add to the mix. Any extra veggies are a plus for a salad!

    Chicken - I love to keep chicken in the fridge, bake up a batch (find a recipe here) and keep some on hand for a quick salad topper. This would also be wonderful with salmon. Or opt out completely and add white beans (cannellini are my favorite) for a meatless option. Heck, grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and call it a day!

    Avocado - As if kale on its own isn't a superfood - add in some avocado for the ultimate delight. I love the creamy texture of the avocado with the hearty kale leaves. And avocado really is slightly sweet which is nice in this savory salad.

    Toasted pine nuts - We're talking superfoods in this salad and to add even more protein, toss in some pine nuts for a little crunch and to boost that protein even higher. Add them in raw or toast lightly with some oil in a pan.

    Parmesan - Parmesan cheese has a salty, bold flavor that holds up well with salads and will play well with the lemony tahini. You can swap out for manchego or even feta!

    Tahini - The star of our dressing. Tahini is much like a nut butter - it's creamy, thick and can be used sweet or savory. Tahini sauce is very common in Lebanese dishes, whether we are drizzling over falafal or cauliflower, the lemony, nutty sauce really brings dishes to life.

    Lemon - Most of my salad consists of lemon juice, it's the most used acid in my kitchen. It helps to brighten up any dish and for our dressing will balance the rich tahini and thin it out to make it the right consistency for our dressing.

    Garlic - I'm a firm believer than TOUM should be in all your fridges, yes - the condiment that will CHANGE YOUR COOKING! Emulsified garlic sauce, add it to your cooking, marinade with it or in this case, toss it in to create our dressing. If you don't have any toum on hand, a simple clove of garlic will do.

    Seasonings - Other seasonings we'll add to our dish include - salt, pepper and oregano

    Massaging Your Kale

    I may not give my husbands massages that often but you know what - I ALWAYS massage my kale!!! I know, you're thinking "this lady is crazy". But remember me talking about how tough and bold kale is? Which is great for our salad but it also needs a little TLC before we throw it in. Massaging the kale with a bit of olive oil really helps to soften the leaves and make them more digestible for us to eat. I'm definitely not a nutritionist but I know that if I don't massage the leave, they are way tougher to consume. So take a few minutes - get your hands in there and rub those kale leaves!!!

    Sometimes I wonder if it's a little crazy to post a salad recipe, because to me, a salad is comprised of various items from your fridge. A little leafy green, a little protein, something crunchy, something creamy. But I also know I love to have new fresh ideas. Many folks don't use tahini as often as I do in my kitchen so I hope this fresh recipe gives you some inspiration - even if you just make the dressing and try it on any of your favorite salad variations. My dear friend Nicole over at Kale Junkie just posted a different Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing the other day - so much variety with similar ingredients, be sure to check it hers out!

    Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

    As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media #cosetteskitchen which lets me know what is working for you! You can find me on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!

    xoxo,
    Cosette

    Pin for later!
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

    Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Cosette's Kitchen
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 2 servings 1x
    • Category: Salad
    • Method: No cook
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    A hearty Kale Salad with a Creamy Tahini dressing.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Tahini Dressing

    • 2 teaspoons toum or 1 clove garlic
    • ½ cup tahini - I purchase mine from a local Middle Eastern store but you can find online
    • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt* - cut in half if using table salt
    • ½ teaspoon oregano 
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup if you'd like to keep vegan
    • ⅓ cup lemon juice (juice from about 2 lemons)
    • ¼ cup water (from tap or fridge)

    Salad Ingredients

    • 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed if you can
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • ½ avocado, diced
    • ¼ cup shredded carrots
    • 2 tablespoons fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved
    • ½ cup cooked chicken, diced
    • 2 teaspoons toasted pine nuts

     

     


    Instructions

    Tahini Dressing

    1. In a small bowl, crush or press your garlic clove if you're not using toum.
    2. Add your remaining dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth.
    3. Adjust your lemon and salt to taste.
    4. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks in sealed container.

    Salad Ingredients

    1. On a sheet pan or large bowl, add your chopped kale and about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. With clean hands, begin to work the olive oil and rub the kale leaves within your hands to soften. Continue for 1-2 minutes until leaves are soften and glistening with the oil.
    2. Pour about ¼ cup of your dressing on the kale leaves to coat. I prefer dressing the leaves then assembling the remaining components of the salad and a final drizzle of dressing.
    3. Mix dressing with kale leaves then plate onto platter or 2 plates.
    4. Add your remaining ingredients and drizzle with additional dressing as desired.

     


    Notes

    • To make dressing vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey
    • Options to substitute chicken to keep salad vegetarian/pesictarian: tofu, beans, salmon
    • All salad ingredients are versatile and can be adjusted to your preference. Add some pomegranate seeds or persimmon for a bit of sweetness or sub almonds for pine nuts. 

    Keywords: kale salad lemon dressing, tahini dressing, kale salad tahini dressing, kale salad with avocado, tahini dressing recipes, tahini dressing salad, tahini dressing vegan, vegan, vegetarian, tahini dressing kale salad,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cosetteskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cosetteskitchen

    More Salad

    • Salmon Caesar Salad with Yogurt Dressing
    • Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing
    • Dandelion Greens Salad
    • Turkey Meatballs and Mustard Greens

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer H says

      February 10, 2021 at 6:23 pm

      I made this dressing to go on a salad I was taking for my work lunch (leftover thin sliced steak that was cooked with onions, banana peppers and spices) and it was so good. This dressing is everything I've been looking for in a tahini dressing. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        February 10, 2021 at 10:03 pm

        Oh yay, I'm so glad to hear this! It really is a wonderful dressing for any salad - the steak would be a lovely addition!

        xoxo,
        Cosette

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Tahini Caramel Sauce - Cosette's Kitchen says:
      January 28, 2021 at 6:22 am

      […] of baking. Enter one of my favorite pantry staples: TAHINI. Yes, you all know my love of tahini for savory and sweet dishes. Caramel is nothing different. The thing about tahini is that it is not sweet, but […]

      Reply
    2. Philly Style Tomato Pie - Cosette's Kitchen says:
      February 4, 2022 at 11:10 pm

      […] tomato pie on it’s own is the perfect meal. But a lovely salad to balance it out would work great. We’ve enjoyed it with soup and dipped pieces of tomato pie […]

      Reply
    3. Chicken and Spinach Recipes That Are Seriously Healthy and Flavorful says:
      March 26, 2022 at 10:32 pm

      […] the time, serving whole grain pita alongside this bowl would be a classic choice, perhaps with some Tahini Dressing. Be sure to save extra tahini dressing to top a salad another […]

      Reply
    4. Salmon Caesar Salad with Yogurt Dressing - Cosette's Kitchen says:
      April 1, 2022 at 4:59 pm

      […] olive oil and massage the leaves then add your dressing. You can find out the full process on this kale salad recipe. Mix until fully […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    me

    My name is Cosette Posko and I reside in Portland, Oregon with my family of five. Originally from Pennsylvania, I moved to the great Pacific Northwest about 15 years ago and have been here ever since.

    More about me →

    Latest Posts

    • Spinach and Lemon Lentil Soup
    • Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies with Pink Peppercorns
    • Labneh (Yogurt) Deviled Eggs - Mayo Free
    • Easy One-Bowl Summer Peach Cake
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Mail
    • Pinterest

    Find A Recipe

    Let's Get Social

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Pinterest

    Find a recipe

    • 10 Recipes to Try
    • Appetizer
    • Bagels
    • Baked Goods
    • BBQ
    • beef
    • Beverages
    • blog
    • Blogging
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Burgers
    • Cake
    • Chicken
    • Christmas Cookie
    • cinco de mayo
    • Condiments
    • Cookies
    • Crackers
    • Dessert
    • Dining Room
    • Dinner
    • dip
    • Dough
    • Drinks
    • Easy
    • Education
    • eggs
    • Fall
    • Family
    • Fish
    • Galette
    • Gift Guide
    • Gifts
    • gluten free
    • Grilling
    • holiday
    • Home Decor
    • Ice Cream
    • Instagram
    • instant pot
    • lamb
    • Lebanese
    • lunch
    • Muffins
    • Party
    • pasta
    • Peaches
    • Pie
    • Pizza
    • pork
    • Potatoes
    • Resources
    • Rice
    • Salad
    • Salmon
    • Scones
    • Side Dish
    • soup
    • Soups
    • Summer
    • Thanksgiving
    • Thanksgiving Menu
    • Thanksgiving Prep
    • Turkey
    • Uncategorized
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Weeknight Meal
    • Za'atar

    Recent Posts

    • Spinach and Lemon Lentil Soup
    • Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies with Pink Peppercorns
    • Labneh (Yogurt) Deviled Eggs - Mayo Free
    • Easy One-Bowl Summer Peach Cake
    • Grilled Lamb Rib Chops - Pomegranate Molasses and Cinnamon with Mint

    Archives

    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • April 2022
    • February 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017

    The Nitty Gritty

    Privacy Policy + Disclosure

    Photo + Recipe Sharing

    Cosette's Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy + Disclosure

    Follow Us

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Mail
    • Pinterest

    Contact

    • Photo + Recipe Sharing

    Cosette’s Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Copyright © 2021 Cosette's Kitchen