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Normally, I wouldn’t say that I crave kale salads… but I could eat this one every week. It’s tossed with a Caesar-inspired tahini dressing (so it’s dairy-free) that tastes a lot more decadent than it actually is.
A simple combination of lemon juice, fresh garlic, creamy tahini, and pantry spices creates an irresistible flavor in minutes. It comes together in one bowl for easy clean-up, too!
Even if you don’t think you love kale, I hope you’ll give this salad recipe a try. Top it with roasted chickpeas for some crunch and add your favorite protein to turn it into a complete meal. It’s easy to customize!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“LOVED this and my husband loved it too. I added the dressing to the salad maybe 3 hours before dinner and it was PERFECT once we sat down for it. Thanks so much!!” – Gina
Kale Caesar Salad Ingredients
- Tahini. Instead of using mayo, eggs, or anchovies, this Caesar-inspired dressing gets its creaminess from tahini. You can use raw tahini or a runny one, like Soom or Whole Foods 365 brand. (Just make sure you’re okay with the flavor before moving forward. It will be bitter, but shouldn’t be drastically so.)
- Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice will create the best flavor. The amount below is just a starting point; feel free to add more to taste!
- Garlic. Finely minced garlic is the key to Caesar salad dressing. (Don’t use the jarred stuff!) In a pinch, you can use garlic powder as a swap.
- Mustard. A small squeeze of spicy brown mustard adds umami, contributing to the overall Caesar flavor. (Don’t use yellow mustard, but Dijon should also work.)
- Kale. I’ve made this salad with both curly and lacinato (Dino) kale, and either way is delicious. Be sure to remove the tough center stems, as they aren’t pleasant to bite into. Note: When you buy bagged kale that’s pre-chopped, sometimes the stems are still attached, and the bites aren’t as pleasant… so just keep that in mind when shopping.)
How to Make Kale Salad with Tahini Caesar Dressing
Step 1:
In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of water and whisk well until the mixture looks creamy. It might look separated at first, or it could even seize in texture. Just keep stirring until it looks creamy!
Add one more tablespoon of water, if needed, to thin the consistency. (This will vary based on the tahini you start with; some are thicker than others.)
Note: If you don’t want to dress all your kale at once, you can store this dressing in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. I tend to mix it in the bowl because I like to cut down on the dishes I have to clean later!
Step 2:
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Remove the tough stems from the kale leaves, then roughly chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. This quick step will make your salad more pleasant to bite into.
Transfer the kale to the bowl with the tahini dressing and use tongs to toss well, making sure the leaves are evenly coated. Let the kale marinate in the dressing for at least 15 minutes. This will soften the kale and make each bite more flavorful.
Tips for Serving Kale Salad
As soon as the kale salad has marinated in the dressing, it’s ready to serve. Top with crispy roasted chickpeas and baked chicken breasts for a complete meal, if you’d like.
Kale Salad (with Tahini Caesar Dressing)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tahini
- 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh kale (about 6 cups)
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until the mixture looks creamy. Note: Using a small whisk will help the tahini dissolve faster than stirring with a spatula. If the tahini thickens or seizes as you stir, just be patient. It will become creamy and smooth. (You can add an extra splash of water if needed.)
- To prepare the kale, remove the tough stems from each leaf, then tear it into small pieces. (Or use a knife to chop the kale.) Toss the leaves with the dressing and let them marinate until you're ready to serve. I recommend waiting at least 5 minutes, but you can keep this tightly covered for several hours, or even overnight, depending on how soft you prefer your kale. It doesn't get as soggy as other lettuces!
- This salad is ready to serve whenever you're ready to eat. Add any extra toppings you love, such as baked chicken or crispy roasted chickpeas.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Vegan Caesar Salad (cashew dressing)
- Kale Feta Salad
- Peach Salad with Kale and Avocado
- Easy Kale Salad Dressing
If you try this kale salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
Made it for dinner tonight. Even my husband liked it. I didn’t have tahini so I checked on line and used natural peanut butter mixed with sesame oil as a substitute. It was delicious.
Hi there megan
this is a wonderful recipe and i think you’re a fantastic chef (tried other recipes too from your site).
I just wondered though -how many grams of tahini is it that you’re adding. according to my uk 1/4 cup measurement it’s approx 57g, however the calories on my fitness pal for the recipe come out higher per portion. it’s the tahini that seems to be the most calorific.
hope to hear from you.
thanks so much.
candice
I’ll have to weigh the tahini the next time I make it! Online nutritional calculators can vary wildly, so it’s possible that could account for differences in calories, too.
I realized I didn’t have dijon mustard when I started to make this, so I subsituted Herbal Gatherings Mustard, and it was awesome. It gave the dressing a little kick; if you like a little heat in your food, like I do, you will love it. I also added radishes and an avocado. YUM!
This is an excellent salad.! Creamy and full of flavor. The roasted chickpeas add a wonderful crunch to replace croutons.
This looks amazing! As its only me at home I like to prep ahead for the week. When I make this can I add the dressing to the kale and then store for a few days or is it better to keep them separate?
I think it’s a little better if you keep the dressing and kale separate. The kale is pretty sturdy, but I think it gets a little slimy if it sits in dressing for more than a day or so.
Just made this tonight for dinner- delicious! the dressing and chickpeas were perfect (though i did add extra garlic as 2 cloves was not enough for my personal taste)! will definitely be making this again and recommend!
Thanks for letting me know! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I am so impressed with how spot on this dressing is. Great recipe!
Looks so good! Question, how much kale is typically in a bunch?
Thanks!
I just put one on my food scale and it’s about 1/2 pound. 🙂
Ok, thank you!
Thank you so much for that! We grow our own kale and it is much larger than store bought. This was tremendously helpful especially since I plan to double the recipe
Made this tonight. I thought I had chickpeas but discovered, too late, that I only had cannellini. It worked very well (though the cannellini beans didn’t need to cook as long)! Whoa, whoa, whoa, this recipe is SO GOOD, and the dressing is simply perfect. I browned a handful small pieces of bread to make croutons for some added crunch. Thank you so much for your amazing and SIMPLE recipes. I think I’ve made 5 by now and they have all been hits. Without fail, they elicit an enthusiastic, “tasty”! from my husband, without him knowing beforehand that they come from you. You’ve made my nights easier + better. 🙂
Looks fantastic! Really seeking out nutritious options this summer and I am so struggling to loose the baby fat after having my 3rd 6 weeks ago. I’m nursing and want to ensure my new son is getting healthy food and I’m getting little sleep so I know eating healthy food (yes Kale!) is that much more important to fuel my weary bones these days. Thanks!