It’s been a really long time since I shared a kale salad recipe, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been eating them as often as ever. This one didn’t really begin as a salad at all: it began as a dressing I’d fallen in love with, a mixture of tahini, mint, garlic, and parsley. It’s not very different from my delightfully green tahini dressing, but it’s evidence that small changes can make a huge difference in a recipe that’s simple to begin with; the mint changes everything.

So, tahini mint dressing started going on anything and everything at home, including many bowls of massaged kale. This tahini mint kale salad is the combination I’ve been coming back to most often.

There’s a hint of sweetness in the dressing, which I like to play up by adding currants to the kale. I also toss in some chickpeas for protein and texture. The salad is nice and light on its own: a perfect side dish for any simple meal. I’ve also been piling it into the bottom of my vegan lunch bowls, then adding extra grains or tofu or tempeh or veggies on top.

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Tahini Mint Kale Salad

Author - Gena Hamshaw

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 servings salad and 1 1/2 cups dressing

Ingredients

Tahini Mint Dressing:

• 6 tablespoons tahini
• 3/4 cup water
• 1-2 garlic cloves roughly chopped (adjust to taste)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 small pitted date or 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves and stems

Tahini Mint Kale Salad:

• 1 batch tahini mint dressing
• 1 large bunch curly kale stems removed and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup currants or raisins
• 1 1/2 cup chickpeas

Instructions

• To make the dressing, blend all ingredients together in a powerful blender till smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• To make the salad, add as much dressing as needed to coat the salad well. Massage the kale firmly with your hands, until the greens are softened. Add the chickpeas and currants and mix, adding additional dressing as needed. Serve.

Notes

Leftover salad will keep overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. Dressing will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

One of my favorite things about making a big batch of kale salad is that the leftovers keep so well; I can use what I have in multiple salads and bowls for a couple days. (Not often the case with salad leftovers, which get soggy quickly.)

I’m loving the fresh, verdant flavor of this dressing, and I imagine I’ll be relying it on this spring and summer, not only in salads but also for drizzling onto grains and roasted summer veggies. Thanks to those of you on Instagram who requested I share! Hope you’ll give it a try and that you’ll enjoy it, too.

xo