Today’s post will be short and sweet—well, actually, savory! This recipe comes from my first cookbook, Practically Raw. You all know that I’m not much of a salad person, so when I like a salad, you can bet it’s a damn good salad! The handful of salad recipes in PR are all skeptic-approved, and this one may be my favorite of the bunch.
Loaded with nutrients such as calcium, beta carotene, vitamins C and K, and lutein, kale is probably one of the healthiest foods on planet, and can grow in cold weather months, so this massaged kale salad is perfect for year-round healthful eating. It’s so hearty and filling that it’s a meal in itself. Spice-phobes can feel free to omit the chipotle; the creamy tahini dressing is just as divine without it.
From Practically Raw: Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make by Amber Shea Crawley, ©2012. Used by permission.
Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, RawIngredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo, drained, seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, roughly chopped (6 to 8 cups)
- 1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
- 4 teaspoons hempseeds
Instructions
- Combine the tahini, oil, water, lemon juice, chipotle, agave, cumin, coriander, and salt in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. (Alternatively, omit the chipotle or replace with 1 teaspoon chili powder and whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl.)
- Place the kale in a large bowl and add the tahini dressing. Use your hands to thoroughly massage the dressing into the kale until it is softened and completely coated.
- Divide between four serving plates or bowls and top each portion with the diced tomato and 1 teaspoon hempseeds.
Notes
Substitutions
• Chipotle: fresh jalapeño, seeded and chopped, or 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Agave nectar: coconut nectar or any other liquid sweetener
• Tomato: 1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• Hempseeds: sesame seeds
Chef's Tip: Feel free to reduce the oil to 2 tablespoons, adding a splash more water as necessary to get the desired consistency.
This is one of those dishes that I see a lot of love for across the internet—a fan favorite! I always enjoy seeing photos of dishes you’ve made from Practically Raw, so never hesitate to post them on the Chef Amber Shea Facebook page, tweet them (using the hashtag #PracticallyRaw and tagging @ChefAmberShea), or Instagram them (also using the hashtag #PracticallyRaw and tagging @chefambershea). Here are just a couple of my favorite Kale-Tahini Salad photos that readers have shared:
from Dianne, who added avocado; yum!
from Jenny on Instagram
Bon appétit, my friends!
Ah! I’ve still yet to experience this whole “chipotle in adobo” thing. Thanks for the reminder, dear heart!
P.S. Hoping against hope Matt gets home to you soon. xo
Ohh, you’ll LOVE them. I know it.
P.S. Not happening anytime soon…
this looks absolutely delicious! kale salads are my very favorite, but i have yet to add tahini! makes perfect sense though, and i’m sure it adds such an amazing flavor and texture. can’t wait to try this! also, love that you have so many substitutions listed. that is SO helpfuL!
Thanks Caitlin! Do you have Practically Raw? Every single recipe comes with a Substitutions list like this.
i still haven’t gotten it :/ i really need to, though. everything i’ve seen from it is absolutely phenomenal.
Thanks for the recipe, Amber! I just came across your website and really love your creativity! The cumin and sea salt are brilliant seasonings for kale.
Thank you, Missy!
I need to get my copy of Practically Raw off the shelf and make some more stuff soon….including this!!
This salad will help you feel like you’re still semi-sticking to your January cleanse!
Haha! Yea, I need to be “semi-sticking” to it better. I did have a vega smoothie and homemade, raw date-based energy bar this morning. But then I had vegan fried chicken for lunch and planning to have frozen Tofurky pizza for dinner. Ha….so much for eating healthier.
Okay, per our earlier conversation, I won’t shun this salad any longer. As soon as this shit-storm melts (can I say ‘shit’ on your blog?), I’ll trek to TJ’s and get more tahini. If I like it, you’ll be my new hero.
Haha, shit away! (Er…wait…) I like this best with roasted (rather than raw) tahini, personally. Hope you like it! And if not, hey, there’s always kale chips.
Thanks for the tip on roasted! We’ll see if I can convert.
looks healthy and delicious!
Yes and yes!
what divine timing!! I just put a nice bunch of cleaned/prepped kale back in the fridge for tomorrows salad… this one is perfect and I love it when I happen to have all the ingredients~ thanks Amber!
What serendipity, Suzi!
Enjoy!
I like the idea of raw kale salads. However, how do you suggest consuming leafy greens for thyroid health? Isn’t it best to cook them? How does the raw kale (greens) in relation to thyroid health pertain to smoothies and juices? Is it still anti thyroid when raw and juiced? What about when blended into a smoothie?
Thanks!
Great question, Chris. Raw crucifers like kale do bother the endocrine systems of some people with thyroid disease. I’ve found that I don’t have a problem consuming raw kale a few times a week, but if you’re more sensitive to it, I recommend lightly steaming or sauteing it (then letting it cool) before making this salad, baking your kale chips (as opposed to dehydrating them), and avoiding juicing it or adding it to smoothies raw.
I haven’t tried this one yet, but it’s been on my list! Chipotles in adobo add such a great smoky flavor!
There really is nothing else quite like them!
You know I have your book. I was actually flipping through it the other day. I really like this recipe
Thanks, doll!
Hey Amber! I’m going to try out a completely raw diet for health reasons and I will definitely be looking to your book for lots of inspiration
This kale salad will be one of the first salads I make! It looks beautiful and easy. I’m planning on staying away from sugar and sweeteners as well… do you think I’ll miss that little bit of agave or should it be ok to omit? Thanks!
Hi Sarah! If you use raw tahini, I highly recommend using that tiny bit of sweetener from a taste perspective, because I find raw tahini to be super-bitter. If you use roasted tahini, though (I usually do, because I much prefer the taste), you could leave the sweetener out. Hope that helps!
This looks divine!
Thanks Keela!
Oh this looks so delicious!!
Thanks, Alicia!
This looks gorgeous! I can’t get hold of chilies in the sauce here, but I can get hold of dried chipotle chilies. Can I use a dried one instead?
Thank you for sharing this with Healthy Vegan Fridays. Check back today to see if you were one of the Top 3! We hope to see you again this week. You can submit a post from Friday to end of Tuesday:
http://www.greenthickies.com/healthy-vegan-friday
I’ve never used a dried chile, but you can definitely use chili powder instead! (Check out the Substitutions list at the bottom of the recipe.) It’s just as delish that way.
Thanks Katherine!