This Apple & Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing is the perfect mix of creamy, tangy, and filling. Plus it’s loaded with minerals like calcium and magnesium!
Kale is one of my favourite bases for a salad. It’s loaded with vital nutrients, of course (like magnesium), but it’s heartiness makes it perfect for meal prepping as it can handle marinating in a dressing for a couple days.
I originally had the idea to make a dairy-free Caesar salad, but then I started getting excited about the addition of apples, avocado, and cranberries. So this recipe ended up being more of a jazzed up Caesar. The tangy and calcium-rich Lemon Tahini dressing pairs wonderfully with all the flavours and textures, but, there’s no parmesan cheese. Although, feel free to add some if you’d like to!
I think my take on a classic Caesar salad (meaning dairy-free) will have to make its way to my blog very soon though.
How to Make Apple & Kale Salad
- Prep kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Chop and add to bowl.
- Dice up avocado and apple and add to bowl with dried cranberries and hemp seeds. Toss.
- Whisk dressing ingredients in small bowl until very smooth.
- Pour dressing onto salad and toss until evenly coated.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tahini
- Dried cranberries
- Hemp seeds
- Garlic powder
- Grainy/Dijon mustard
Apple & Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
A creamy, tangy kale salad with apples, cranberries, and avocado.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 6 large kale leaves (about 1/2 bunch), stems removed, roughly chopped
- 1 small apple (gala, honey crisp, etc.), diced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts (shelled seeds)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp old-fashioned grainy or Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- dash salt & pepper
Instructions
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Begin by prepping your kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems (hold the stems and pull the leaves off downwards). Roughly pull apart or chop kale leaves and add to large bowl.
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Dice up avocado and apple and add to bowl with dried cranberries and hemp seeds. Toss and set aside.
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In separate small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk together well until very smooth. Pour onto salad and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately and store extras in fridge for up to 3 days.
Looking for some more kale salads? Check these out:
Hi Meghan, any good ideas to replace the apple with? I am allergic to raw apple (and peach), but this salad still looks delicious. I am from the Netherlands and we usually only eat kale as kale stew (kale – potatoes – bacon). It is one of our national dishes and absolutely yummy 🙂 Thanks, Suzanne
Hey Suzanne, are you allergic to pear? Pear would work really well! And that kale stew sounds absolutely delicious. I’ll have to make that recipe sometime!
Hi Meghan, thanks! I am not allergic to pear and I will try this. Pears are in season now as well 🙂
thank you for allllllll that you do. greatly appreciated!