Kale Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
This Kale Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing makes for the perfect lunch or easy side dish. It is delicious, flavorful and loaded with essential vitamins and minerals. This salad comes together in less than five minutes, is nutrient-dense with the best creamy and tasty dressing. Once you make it, you will have it on full rotation.
Ingredients
- 2 cup curly kale (removed from stems)
- 1/2 cup cooked tri-colored quinoa
- 1/4 cup raw sliced almonds
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini (see note)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 1/2 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
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Thinly chop kale and measure out 2 cups. Place in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil and lemon juice. Using your hands, massage your kale thoroughly for a few seconds. This makes your kale tender, less bitter and easier to chew. Place quinoa and almonds over kale.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine together the ingredients for dressing; tahini, lamon juice, warm water, pink sea salt, and garlic powder. Whisk together until creamy and smooth texture is reached and dressing is formed.
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Drizzle dressing over salad and give it a good toss making sure all of the ingredients are well combined and coated with dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Don't skip massaging your kale- This makes your kale tender, less bitter and easier to chew.
- Cook quinoa ahead of time- This salad is better with chilled quinoa and it will also save you time.
- Make sure to stir your tahini well before measuring it out and using it- Tahini tends to set and it’s natural oils separate from the paste. You want to make sure you get the oils in there.
- No kale?- Baby spinach is a great substitute.
- No avocado oil?- Use olive oil as a substitute.
- Switch up almonds for other nuts- Pine nuts, cashews or pistachios are great in this salad as well.
- Can't have nuts?- Use hemp hearts instead.
- Try adding avocado- This salad is so good with added avocado!