Kale Salad Recipe – A Healthy Cold-Weather Dish
Updated on March 10, 2023
This Winter Kale Salad recipe is full of crunchy vegetables, candied nuts, and coated in a rich and creamy dressing. It is the perfect hearty and healthy cold-weather dish.
This is not a summer salad. This is a hearty and filling version of the warm weather favorite. This salad features hearty greens in place of crisp leaves and a thick creamy dressing, in place of a vinaigrette. It is everything we love about this summer dish, made for the colder weather.
To amp up the filling factor of this salad and make it really satiating, we add roasted beets for substance. When beets are roasted, they become sweet and soft making them the perfect texture and flavor compliment to the bitter winter greens.
Then we top this winning combo of vegetables with candied pumpkin seeds for crunch and an easy creamy dressing.
This crisp, crunchy, sweet, and savory creation is not only a ten on the taste scales, but it is a ten when it comes to nutrition as well.
This salad is packed to the brim with cruciferous vegetables. This family of vegetables are incredibly beneficial for our bodies. The kale, brussel sprouts, and cabbage are all part of this all star family. Cruciferous vegetables are known to prevent cancer by repairing DNA and actually inactivating cancer causing compounds in the body. They also reduce inflammation.
That creamy dressing is not one to count out either. Most store bought cream style dressings are filled with oils and stabilizers to achieve their signature creamy texture. On the flip side, our dressing uses tahini to achieve its silky texture.
Tahini is made by grinding up sesame seeds until they form a paste, much like peanut butter. This paste is rich in vital minerals that are good for bone health, respiratory health, and vascular health. Plus, the natural occurring fats in sesame seeds can help us to better absorb the nutrients in the vegetables.
Ingredients you’ll need for Kale Salad Recipe:
- 1 head kale, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 4 cups brussel sprouts, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 1/2 of a red cabbage, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 3 golden beets (regular will work too), greens removed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients For the dressing:
- 6 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
For the candied pumpkin seeds:
- 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, or pepitas
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions step by step to prepare the vegan Kale Salad:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 50-60 minutes. Remove the beets from the foil, and using a knife, peel off the skin.
- Cut into sticks and set aside.
- While the beets are cooking, add all of the candied pumpkin seed ingredients into a skillet. Heat over medium heat to melt the sugar. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has reduced and crystalized. Remove from the heat. Just before the pumpkin seeds are fully cooled, remove them from the pan onto a plate. Break up any large clumps.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
- Add the kale, brussel sprouts, and cabbage into a large bowl along with the apple cider vinegar and salt. Massage the greens with your hands until they have softened, brightened in color, and look wet.
- Add in the beets and toss to combine.
- Add in the dressing and toss to coat.
- Serve, topped with the candied pumpkin seeds.
Kale Salad Recipe - A Healthy Cold-Weather Dish
This Winter Kale Salad recipe is full of crunchy vegetables, candied nuts, and coated in a rich and creamy dressing. It is the perfect hearty and healthy cold-weather dish.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head kale, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 4 cups brussel sprouts, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 1/2 of a red cabbage, sliced into slaw-like strips
- 3 golden beets (regular will work too), greens removed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients For the dressing:
- 6 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
For the candied pumpkin seeds:
- 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, or pepitas
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 50-60 minutes. Remove the beets from the foil, and using a knife, peel off the skin.
- Cut into sticks and set aside.
- While the beets are cooking, add all of the candied pumpkin seed ingredients into a skillet. Heat over medium heat to melt the sugar. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has reduced and crystalized. Remove from the heat. Just before the pumpkin seeds are fully cooled, remove them from the pan onto a plate. Break up any large clumps.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
- Add the kale, brussel sprouts, and cabbage into a large bowl along with the apple cider vinegar and salt. Massage the greens with your hands until they have softened, brightened in color, and look wet.
- Add in the beets and toss to combine.
- Add in the dressing and toss to coat.
- Serve, topped with the candied pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1329Total Fat: 78gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 60gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1885mgCarbohydrates: 135gFiber: 28gSugar: 72gProtein: 44g