Don’t get mad at me. Just let me explain…
Kale and Spinach Salad – With Herb Tahini Dressing, quickest pickled onions and peppery crumbs.
WAIT! I can explain myself.
I know right now you’re panicking. Or maybe you jumped ahead to the recipe and you’re like – screw this Joni I am not making this highly involved recipe with all those ingredients you can just go and jump off a…
Just. Wait. You know I like to keep things unfussy around here so know this…
You don’t have to make the quickest pickled onions ever. Just chop up some banana peppers instead.
You don’t have to make the peppery crumbs. Crumble up some store bought croutons and you’ll be just fine.
The Pypers Kitchen is nothing if not flexible friends.
But we are going to make our own dressing and that’s where I draw the line. If you can’t handle that then I don’t know what to tell you.
So do what you need to do. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do but know that it will be better if you do. 😉
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Kale and Spinach Salad – With Herb Tahini Dressing, quickest pickled onions and peppery crumbs.
Ingredients
For the pickled onions:
- 1/2 red onion sliced (about 2 cups, loosely packed)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
For the peppery crumbs:
- 1 cup panko
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped
- s&p
For the salad:
- 6 cups kale sliced, massaged with a bit of olive oil
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1 avocado chopped
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
Make the onions:
- Add the onion, water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer for 30 seconds and then set aside to cool while you make the remainder of the salad.
Make the crumbs:
- Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet.
- Add in the panko and the salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring often, until browned and toasted.
- Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Make the dressing:
- Combine together the tahini, olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, onion powder, parsley and a big pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Whisk until completely smooth.
Make the salad:
- Add the kale, spinach, avocado, pepitas and feta cheese to a large bowl.
- Drizzle over the dressing, add in a handful of the pickled onions and toss well.
- Top with the crispy crumbs and serve.
Kale and Spinach Salad recipe ingredients, tips, substitutions:
Kale – curly green kale is the superior kale and I don’t care what all the chefs say about lacinato kale being better.
Spinach – I’m using baby spinach because it’s tender and easy to work with.
Onions – any onion works for pickled onions but the red one are the prettiest.
Feta – salty feta plays well with the briny onions, but you can sub in goat cheese or even blue cheese.
Pepitas – I love that pepitas have crunch but they’re still a little soft and buttery. You can sub in any other seed or nut that you like.
Tahini – the drippy kind. If you don’t have it you can use almond butter or even greek yogurt.
Panko – panko are just the best crunchy salad topping ever, but you can use regular breadcrumbs, torn bread or croutons.
Storing – this actually does keep well for a day or two in the fridge. The spinach will wilt a bit, but I have no problem digging into the leftovers of this one.
Kale and Spinach Salad Recipe Variations:
Kale Free Version – I realize this is a kale salad, but some people just do not love kale no matter how hard I try to make them (hi father-in-law!). If this is you, just sub in some arugula, butter lettuce or even more spinach.
Full Meal Version – I love this served with chopped up grilled chicken on top or with a good steak on the side. It’s also great with regular or crispy chickpeas.
Fruity Version – add in a handful of dried cherries on dried cranberries for a little pop of sweet.
Kale and Spinach Salad Recipe, how to make it…
Start by making the quickest ever pickled onions. They’re quick because we’re throwing everything in the saucepan together and heating it up all at once. This gives the onions more of a chance to absorb the flavours. Once everything comes to a simmer and bubbles for about 30 seconds we’re done. Just set them aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad (you won’t use all of the onions, but they keep well in the fridge and are good on just about anything).
Now the crumbs… Melt the butter and olive oil together in a skillet. Add in the panko and a good amount of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir it frequently until the crumbs are golden and toasted. Dump them into a bowl and set them aside as well.
To make the dressing, combine together the tahini, olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, onion powder, parsley, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Keep whisking until it’s super smooth and creamy. If it’s a bit thick for your liking you can add a splash of water to loosen it up.
Assembly time! Add the kale, spinach, avocado, pepitas, and feta to a big bowl. Pour the dressing over, add in a handful of the pickled onions, and toss it all together.
Finish the salad with a big handful of those crispy golden crumbs.
My pro-tip: massaging the kale with a little drizzle of olive oil is an extra step, but it’s quick and easy and it really softens the texture of the kale.
serving ideas…
- This salad is one of my favourite summer dinners to serve with garlic bread and something grilled like good marinated chicken or my Denver Steaks.
- Add in some chickpeas to make a delicious vegetarian dinner.
- I also love it for brunch with a crispy-edged fried egg on top and a buttered slice of sourdough.
- Or lunch with a steaming hot bowl of Broccoli and Cheese Soup or Carrot Butternut Squash Soup.
If you like this Kale and Spinach Salad Recipe let me know what you think in the comments below and please find and follow me on Social Media!
