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Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad

April 7, 2020 By Dianne 20 Comments

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Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad with text overlayTahini & Tofu Kale Salad – with a creamy tahini dressing and lots of baked za’atar tofu – is the BEST kale salad you’ll find! It’s hearty enough to be a meal on it’s own, but it also makes an excellent side dish for lunch or dinner. This easy massaged kale salad will make a kale lover out of the biggest skeptics! It’s vegan and gluten-free

 

salad close upKale Salad

A lot of people believe that vegans eat nothing but salad, which, of course, is far from the truth. I eat a huge variety of foods, including pasta, pizza, and tacos. But I do eat a big salad for lunch every day. I actually like salad, and I find myself craving it if I’ve gone too long without one.

When Lisa went vegetarian on The Simpson, Homer and Bart danced around singing, “You don’t win friend with salad! You don’t win friend with salad!” I DO win friends with salad, though. I make my salads hearty and filling, and top them with creamy, crave-worthy dressings.

one salad overhead

In order to keep things interesting, I mix up what I put in my salad. Sometimes I use romaine, sometimes I use kale or arugula. Sometimes I use tahini dressing, sometimes I use Green Goddess or Ranch. I always add some hearty protein, such as tofu or beans, and I love to add nuts or seeds for a little crunch.

This recipe is one of the simpler salads that I like to make. It has a base of kale, cabbage and carrots with Za’atar Tofu and pumpkin seeds tossed in. I’ve used Tahini Dressing, because there’s something magical that happen when kale, tahini, and za’atar come together.

Pouring dressingHow to Massage Kale

Kale is easier to chew when it’s “massaged.” No, you don’t need to put on soft music and lower the lights, you just need to rub a little dressing into it to make it easier to chew. Massaging the kale will help make it softer. Be careful not to over massage it, or it will wilt.

managing kaleThe best way to soften kale is with an acid. The lemon juice in this salad dressing is acidic, so it will help to break down the kale’s tough fibers. Just pour on about half of the dressing, wash your hands, roll up your sleeves, and get massaging!

carrots, kale, tofu, carrots, and cabbageHow to Make Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad

This salad couldn’t be easier to make! 

  • First you massage your kale using the tahini dressing.
  • Then you add the rest of the ingredients! 

za'atar tofu with saladCustomizing your Salad

When I make this salad, I never measure the ingredients. What I have here are approximate measurements. Your salad will taste just as good if you use more than two carrots or less than 1 cup of cabbage. Feel free to add any additional ingredients that you might strike your fancy.

salad close up
If you want to mix up the kind of tofu you use, you can use Baked Everything Tofu or My Favorite Baked Tofu. You can also use store-bought baked tofu, if you’re pressed for time.

I love tahini dressing on kale salads. If you don’t have time to make it you, can use a store-bought tahini-based dressing, such as Annie’s Goddess Dressing. You can use other nondairy dressings, if you’re not a fan of tahini. Maple Mustard and Green Goddess Dressing would taste delish, too.

Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad

Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad square
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Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad

This Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad is hearty enough to be a meal on it’s own, but it also makes an excellent side dish for lunch or dinner. This recipe will make 2 large salads or 4 small side salads.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword kale salad
Prep Time 35 minutes
Yields 4 servings
Calories 239 kcal
Author Dianne

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch curly kale stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped (about 6 cups)
  • ½ cup Lemony Tahini Dressing
  • 2 carrots shredded
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 recipe Za’atar Tofu
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

Instructions

  1. Place the kale in a large bowl and pour the tahini on it. Wash your hands and roll up your sleeves, and then massage the tahini into the kale until it begins to wilt and soften. Be careful not to over massage it.

  2. Toss in the rest of the ingredients, and serve!

Tahini & Tofu Kale Salad square

Other kale salads you might also like include:

  • Kale Caesar Salad with Cider Carrots
  • Strawberry Kale Salad
  • Kale and Edamame Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing
  • Only-Kale-Can-Save-Us-Now Salad

salad horizontal

Filed Under: Vegan Recipes, Vegan Salad Recipes Tagged With: gluten free, kale, oil-free, salad, tahini, tofu, za'atar

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

Previous Post: « Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
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Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Becky Striepe says

    May 14, 2018 at 11:34 AM

    Ohhh my gosh, this tofu looks like perfection, Dianne! I need this salad!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 14, 2018 at 1:55 PM

      You do need it! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Alisa Fleming says

    May 14, 2018 at 1:35 PM

    Wow, talk about a nutrient-packed salad! This takes healthy to a whole new delicious level Dianne.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 14, 2018 at 1:55 PM

      Thank you, Alisa!

      Reply
  3. Cadry says

    May 15, 2018 at 10:12 AM

    I love a hearty, meal-worthy salad. With tofu & pumpkin seeds, this is the kind of dish that would really stick with you.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 15, 2018 at 10:37 AM

      Hearty salads are the best!

      Reply
  4. Nicole Dawson says

    May 15, 2018 at 4:12 PM

    The salad does sounds amazing and that lemony tahini dressing is a must try!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 15, 2018 at 5:29 PM

      Thank you, Nicole!

      Reply
  5. Liv says

    May 15, 2018 at 8:13 PM

    Looks fantastic! I love a good kale salad – it’s so good for you! So pretty too with the cabbage

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 15, 2018 at 8:32 PM

      Thank you, Liv!

      Reply
  6. Hedi says

    May 16, 2018 at 6:37 AM

    Love tahini, love tofu and love kale! I am sold! And beautiful pictures dianne ❤️

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 16, 2018 at 2:53 PM

      Thank you so much, Hedi!

      Reply
  7. Ricki says

    May 20, 2018 at 8:56 PM

    I’ve been dying to try za’atar forever and just never get around to it. With the tofu, tahini dressing and kale all in one salad, this is clearly going to be the one I try!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 21, 2018 at 10:13 AM

      You DO need to try it!

      Reply
  8. Trinity Bourne says

    May 21, 2018 at 2:29 PM

    What a delightful healthy little feast. I love everything about this 🙂

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 21, 2018 at 3:45 PM

      Thank you, Trinity!

      Reply
  9. Linda from Veganosity says

    May 22, 2018 at 12:17 PM

    You’d totally win my friendship with this salad! I could eat this every day of the week.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 23, 2018 at 8:12 AM

      Thank you, Linda!

      Reply
  10. Kristina says

    May 22, 2018 at 1:22 PM

    I agree, salads can and do win friends! this one is another winner, Dianne! 🙂

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      May 23, 2018 at 8:11 AM

      Thank you, Kristina!

      Reply

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Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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