This easy and nourishing Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing is a crave-worthy crowd favorite, with toasty sesame, fresh scallion, crunchy kale, and a sweet-garlicky tahini dressing.

Kale Salad in a white bowl with wooden spoons on marble board

This salad was a mainstay at The Ivory Table Cafe – our little eatery, which opened in 2014 and was a sparkling gem nestled into the antique stores and industrial lots of Spokane’s East Sprague District. Every morning, fresh batches of this vibrant salad were meticulously prepared. Crispy kale was washed, chopped, and lovingly tossed with fresh scallion, toasted sesame, and our signature dressing before making its way to the vintage deli case for display. And every day, without fail, the Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing sold out. Since then, this salad has become a top-selling favorite among our Ivory Table Catering clients.

I attribute this salad’s unwavering popularity to its fabulous dressing—creamy-smooth, sweet, savory, garlicky, and with just the perfect hint of lemon. The dash of fish sauce adds umami and depth. Tahini, which serves as the dressing’s base, is a silky paste made from toasted and ground sesame seeds. It is a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Rich in essential minerals, tahini adds depth and nuttiness to dishes while offering various nutritional benefits. You will often find tahini used in savory dishes like hummus and Baba Ganoush, and it adds a lovely complexity to many sweet treats.

And, of course, we must remember the kale. While I prefer using red Russian kale for this recipe, Lacinato, and green kale are fantastic options. Freshness is key. If your kale has lost its crispness, a quick refresh in a cold water bath can revive it beautifully.

Ingredients:

Garlic
Brown sugar
Lemon juice
Tahini paste
Olive oil
Fish sauce
Salt and pepper
Kale
Toasted sesame seeds
Scallions

How to Make Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing:

Sweet Tahini dressing ingredients in white cups, wooden spoon on marble board

Sweet Tahini dressing in white cups, wooden spoon on marble board

The first step is to prepare the dressing. Combine garlic cloves, brown sugar, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, fish sauce, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until silky-smooth. This dressing can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Thoroughly wash and dry the kale. You can use a salad spinner or plunge kale into a large bowl of clean water and pat dry with paper towels. The kale must be mostly dry for this recipe, as excess moisture will water down the dressing and create a soggy salad.

Chop kale it into bite-sized strips. If the kale has large or tough stems, you can strip the leaves from the stem before chopping.

How to Remove Kale Stems:

Start by holding the kale leaf in one hand with the stem facing upward. Then, firmly grasp the base of the stem with your other hand. With a gentle but decisive motion, run your hand upward along the stem, starting from the base and moving toward the tip. Apply enough pressure to separate the leaves from the stem while ensuring not to tear the leaves excessively.

Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing in white bowl on marble counter top

Toss the fresh kale with the tahini dressing.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallion. This kale salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!

xoxo Kristen

If you make this Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from every one of you!