Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

Originally published May 2015, updated September 2017.

As you can tell from the title of this post, kale slaw is on the menu today. But it’s not just any kale salad.

After Monday’s 20 spring salad recipes, I wanted to bring you a brand new one that will totally knock your socks off – even if you’ve never really been into the whole kale slaw/salad thing in the past. I’ll be straight-up honest with you: kale has never really made my stomach very happy. Sure it can taste great at the time, and sure I really want to eat lots of it because nutritionally speaking, kale is a super source of calcium and vitamin C. But there’s always been something about these leafy greens in particular that my digestive system has trouble handling.

Sound familiar? I’m told this isn’t uncommon, and because I really do love kale, figured I had to be doing something wrong. As it turns out, I was!

There are two secrets to totally nailing this one: Massaging and the dressing. Let’s talk about massaging first.

Since kale leaves are so tough in comparison to other greens like spinach, romaine lettuce, and even Swiss chard, the process of digestion takes a little longer. A 1-cup serving of chopped raw kale has 2.4 grams of fiber, both soluble and insoluble, and it’s the insoluble kind that our bodies can’t break down. When we cook it, this helps to break down the fiber content so our insides don’t have to, and therefore steaming kale before eating it can make it more tolerable for a lot of people – myself included. However, when eaten raw, your digestive system has a bigger job to do.

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

As I’m sure you’ve heard before, digestion starts in the mouth. We’re told we should chew our food lots before swallowing, and I don’t know about you but I’m certainly guilty of practically inhaling meals when my appetite is ravenous enough. But in addition to chewing a lot, massaging kale thoroughly – I mean really getting your hands in there, like you’re kneading play dough – also helps to break down the fiber.

Previously, I’d been just removing the thick stems and tossing my bits of kale with other salad ingredients, which (I suspect) was causing the tummy problems. Massaging is the new black in my house, and that’s where the next step comes in – the dressing.

I’m sure you’ve heard of ingredients like lemon juice being good tenderizers for meat, and the whole idea of a tenderizer is to soften muscle fibres. The same sort of applies to kale, only it doesn’t have muscle fibres – it’s just got fibre! Massaging kale with an acidic liquids such as vinegar, lemon juice, or other juice from a citrus fruit helps to soften the leaves, and like chewing lots or cooking, this makes the kale easier to eat. There are 2 such ingredients in this dressing – rice vinegar and lemon juice.

Guys, this might just be one of the best darn dressings I’ve ever made. It was inspired by the vegan oil-free miso tahini dressing that Whole Foods sells, and because it costs $6.99/bottle, I wanted to see if I could re-create it myself. The ingredients were right on the label, so I bought them myself and made an enormous batch by simply adding them in, one tablespoon at a time, constantly taste testing against the store-bought version. The result was mind-blowingly delicious and I almost wanted to run over to a neighbour’s house and go, “Taste this!! TASTE THIS!!!” I promise, you don’t be disappointed.

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

When making this Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing, I started by massaging the chopped kale with apple cider vinegar, then let it sit for a few minutes while preparing the other veggies. I added a bit of the miso tahini dressing to the kale and cabbage, massaged some more, tossed in the remaining ingredients, then gave everything one final stir.

The result was a beautiful, colourful bowl of vibrant plant-based goodness that I’ve eaten 3 days in a row and still can’t get enough. I hope you love this one as much as I do!

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run RepeatRainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

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Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing


  • Author: Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: about 10 cups 1x

Description

All sorts of textures and flavours come together in this Rainbow Kale Slaw, sure to please your tastebuds while leaving your body feeling amazing and energized, too.


Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing: (You will have leftovers – this makes about 500mL)

  • 300g soft tofu
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbsp miso
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • water to thin (see note)

For the rest:

  • 5 cups kale, chopped, rough stems removed
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 large carrot, shredded or julienne cut
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or crispy chickpeas made like this*
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3/4 cup sliced radishes
  • 1/3 cup pepitas
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a blender or food processor and whirl until completely smooth. Add a bit of extra lemon juice to thin if desired, then set aside.
  • Wash and chop the kale, removing the thick stems. In a large bowl, drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the kale and massage it for a few minutes with your hands, as if you were kneading dough.
  • Prepare the cabbage and carrot as directed above and add them to the kale. Pour about 1/4 cup of dressing into the bowl and continue massaging with your hands, further softening the kale.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl, along with a bit more dressing. Toss to coat, then serve.

Notes

As the dressing cools in the fridge, it will thicken up. In order to thin it back to dressing consistency, store it in a container bigger than you think you need and simply add some water. Shake it up and voila – you have dressing again!

When making the crispy chickpeas, be sure to check them every 10 minutes or so – for even cooking, and because ovens are different and yours might cook faster than mine!

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Category: salad
  • Method: no cook

[Tweet “The ultimate bowl of veg: Rainbow Kale Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing”]

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat

Now over to you! Tell me…

  • If you’re a kale salad fan, what are your favourite ingredient combos? What kind of kale do you like? I’m a fan of the lacinato/dinosaur kale because the leaves are a bit thinner, but my grocery store only seems to have the curly kind right now!
  • Do you have any recipe requests for upcoming weeks? Any favourites you want cleaned up? I’m taking suggestions!

Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing - a healthy, delicious big-batch salad recipe - vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free || Eat Spin Run Repeat
Anti-Inflammatory Eating 101 Guide - Eat Spin Run Repeat

 

7 thoughts on “Rainbow Kale Slaw with Miso Tahini Dressing

  1. Ange. I always learn ALL THE THINGS over here. Firstly, I am going to massage my kale from here on out.
    Also, I am going to try this dressing at the soonest. I have all those ingredients on hand, other than the soft tofu and I can’t wait to give it a try. Thank you for bringing so much goodness to my life! xo

  2. Just from reading the ingredients for the dressing I know I’m gonna like it.
    I didn’t know massaging aided in digestion either. Maybe it is time to try raw kale again!

    1. Crazy, hey?! Still, I’m careful about the quantities of raw greens I eat because of the oxalates and my whole spinach sensitivity thing, but I’m thrilled to know I don’t need to totally avoid raw kale any more. I’d be interested to hear if it has the same effect on you!

  3. Love the colours in that salad ! Can’t wait to try it.

    There not much kale available in the regular grocery store around where I live (can’t figure why…), the only one I can find is the curly kind, which I use mostly for smoothies. I’d be curious to see if my husband would be more willing to try the thinner leaves of the dino kale (he’s not a big fan of kale as it is…)

    With the warmer weather peeking, I’d be most interested with recipes that don’t involve turning the oven on… So your 20 salad recipes that perfectly timed for me ! More plant-based / raw recipes maybe?

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