5 from 21 votes
Vegan Kale Salad With Sunflower Seed Dressing
This Vegan Kale Salad features massaged curly kale combined with red onion, cucumber, carrot, yellow bell pepper, and grape tomatoes. A creamy sunflower seed dressing with garlic and miso flavors the salad, tenderizing the kale and complementing the vegetables. The salad is garnished with roasted sunflower seeds for added texture, making it a refreshing and hearty plant-based dish.
Prep Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
165 kcal
Course:
Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 batch sunflower seed dressing tap for recipe; you'll have some dressing leftover, creamy
- 1 large bunch curly kale approx. ¾ to 1 pound with stems.
- ½ large red onion for milder flavor, soak in water while preparing other ingredients, then drain and pat dry, thinly sliced
- ½ large cucumber English, sliced into half moons
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped or cut into matchsticks
- 1 large yellow bell pepper or orange bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
- 8 to 10 ounces grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
- lemon juice, to taste
- salt
- black pepper
Garnish:
- sunflower seeds roasted, optional
Instructions
- First, tap this link to make the creamy dressing. TIP: I recommend adding an additional clove of garlic to the dressing because you want it to be EXTRA flavorful for kale salad. You may also want to increase the miso slightly. You can taste and decide while blending the dressing.
- Next, wash the kale leaves and pat dry. Remove the thick stems, cut into bite-size pieces, and place half of the kale in a large bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, then drizzle about ⅓ cup of dressing over the kale. Use your hands to squish, squeeze, and massage the dressing into the kale. Transfer that kale to a new bowl, and massage the other half of the kale in the same way. After massaging the kale, its total volume should be reduced by about half.
- Toss the other vegetables with the kale, and add more dressing, to taste, about ½ to ¾ cup. Season with a generous squeeze of lemon juice plus salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate the kale salad until ready to serve. Garnish with roasted sunflower seeds, and serve cool.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Massaging kale with the dressing softens the leaves and reduces volume for easier eating.
- Store leftover salad in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; it is best enjoyed on the day it is made.
- Excess sunflower seed dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week and used on other dishes.
- To increase flavor, add an extra garlic clove and adjust miso amount when blending the dressing.
Nutrition Information
Calories
165kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Cholesterol
0mg
(0%)
Sodium
438mg
(18%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 165
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 165kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 438mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.