Say hello to your (my) new favorite kale salad…
This Tahini Kale Salad might just be the most festive kale salad ever. The colors are spectacular and it is just bursting with flavors and textures. I’m so in love with it.
We’re into holiday season now and I always find cold weather salads a challenge. I’m looking for comfort food at this time of year and so light and fresh salads just don’t work for me. I want it hearty and satisfying… and of course, you know it can’t be boring. There must be colors, textures and crunch!
It also can’t be too fussy which is why to make this salad you can use leftover roasted or even sautéed sweet potatoes. Then you’re going to dump a bunch of chopped kale into a large bowl, add in some cooked quinoa (which you can also make ahead) & sweet potatoes, red onion, feta cheese, pomegranate and pepitas. Then you’re going to make the most amazing tart, savory and sweet tahini dressing that you’ll ever have.
Any pro-tips you need to know?
You can easily adapt this recipe to your tastes and make several of the elements ahead of time. Cook the sweet potatoes the day before and cook the quinoa then too. You can also prep your kale ahead of time and we all know how long it takes to disassemble a pomegranate! Whenever I buy them I take them apart and keep the arils in a jar in the fridge.
Ingredients and substitutions for this Tahini Kale Salad?
- Kale – I like the curly kind but you do you.
- Quinoa – already cooked. Any color is fine.
- Sweet Potatoes – cubed, cooked.
- Red Onion – I think the onion is crucial, but leave it out if it doesn’t work for you.
- Feta Cheese – omit or use plant-based to make this salad dairy free.
- Pepitas – substitute any other seed or nut you prefer.
- Pomegranate – can be substituted with dried cranberries.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Pomegranate Molasses – if I needed a substitution for pomegranate molasses I’d probably use a combination of pomegranate juice, honey & balsamic vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey – you can also use maple syrup.
- Tahini – I like the runny, drippy kind.
- Olive Oil – extra virgin olive oil is what I use.
Anything Special You Need to Know?
It’s intense. Very tart and very sweet. Kind of similar to balsamic vinegar, but sweeter.
To be completely honest I usually farm this job out to my kids. If you don’t have little people to help you I do like this water bowl trick.
I always hear chefs say they prefer Tuscan kale for just about everything and I just don’t get it. I am 100% team curly kale. I just love the texture. For this salad though, any kind works.
Recipe-ish…
Let me know what you think!
Tahini Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Feta
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 cups kale shredded
- 1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
- 2 cups sweet potato cooked
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
For the dressing:
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp tahini
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- To make the dressing whisk together the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, dijon, honey, tahini and olive oil with 1 Tbsp warm water and S&P to taste.
- Set aside.
- To make the salad add the kale, quinoa, sweet potatoes, onion, feta, pepitas and pomegranate arils to a large bowl and toss.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, toss together and serve.
If you like this Tahini Kale Salad Recipe please go try my Recipe for Brussels Sprouts Salad with Sugared Cranberries. It’s my other favorite holiday salad.
