Raw Vegan Kale Slaw

This raw vegan kale slaw is perfect for summertime picnics. Serve it instead of coleslaw. It’s great on it’s own, and it also makes an excellent side dish for grilled vegetable sandwiches or veggie burgers. Made with a cashew-based mayo, this kale salad recipe is easy to make, and it’s dairy-free and gluten-free.

Kale Slaw

I’ve know I’ve mentioned this before, but I think it bares repeating – I love coleslaw! I have many friends who won’t touch the stuff, but I absolutely love crisp crunchy cabbage mixed with creamy dressing. It’s a mainstay in my diet all summer long. I serve it alongside sandwiches, but I also like to top veggie burgers, sloppy joes, and even tacos with it. 

I like to mix things up, too. Instead of using cabbage, I sometimes make slaw-type salads using other veggies, such as broccoli and kale. I enjoy both, because I love the way the dressing gets into the little broccoli florets as well as into the curly bits of kale.

I’ve made this dish many times for potlucks, and it’s always a hit. Once it went so quickly that someone asked if I happened to have more in my car. (I didn’t, unfortunately.) Now, I find it’s best if I double it when making it for a crowd.

Raw Vegan

I originally created this recipe in 2010, when I was really into raw foods. I did a 21 day raw challenge a year earlier, and really enjoyed it. Well, I enjoyed most of the 21 days. The first 3 were really rough. I remember being hangry and throwing food around the kitchen. On day 2 I went to bed at around 8:30, because I didn’t want to be around myself anymore. But on day 4 I woke up with so much energy I was bouncing off the walls. 

I still enjoy raw foods, and I eat a lot of it in the summertime. The summer heat and I don’t get along very well, and raw foods help keep me cool. Plus, who wants to turn the oven on when it’s 100 degrees outside?

So Easy to Make!

This kale salad is so easy to make! 

• First, you mix together the kale and carrots in a large bowl.
• Then, you blend the salad dressing ingredients together.
• And finally, you toss everything together, making sure the kale is well coated!

It’s a snap to shred the kale in a food processor. I just throw the leaves in, give it a few pulses, and its’ done. You can do the same with the carrots, using the grater blade. If you don’t have a food processor and want to cut down on time, look for bags of pre-cut kale and grated carrots.

I’ve made a mayonnaise-type dressing in this recipe using raw cashews.  When working with raw cashews, I like to soak them, even though I’m using a high-speed blender. Soak them for about two hours, drain them, and then give them a quick rinse. If you’re sensitive to nuts, you can make it with hemp seeds or soaked sunflower seeds.

I like to use my Blendtec‘s twister jar when making the dressing for this recipe, as I find it works best with thicker blends. 

Print

Raw Vegan Kale Slaw

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Yields 6 servings

Calories 219 kcal

Author Dianne

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews soaked for 2 hours, rinsed, and drained
• 1/3 cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 large bunch of kale stems removed, shredded or cut chiffonade style
• 2 carrots grated or julienned
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender, mix together the cashews, water, lemon juice, mustard, salt and garlic until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
2. Mix together the kale and carrots in a large bowl. Add the cashew dressing and mix until the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle the slaw with the sesame seeds
3. Refrigerate for an hour or two let the flavors mix.
4. Serve cold or at room temperature.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

• Cruciferous Crunch Salad
• Broccoli Slaw
• Tomato and Feta Pasta Salad
• German Potato Salad