Crunchy Kale Salad with Spicy Cashew Sesame Dressing

I recently tried doing an elimination diet – emphasis on the “tried.”

I think I lasted about oneweek, but one foodI did manage to do was avoid soy. During that time, I discovereda way to prepare Asian-inspired cuisine without tamari or soy sauce.

Exciting, right? Allow me to demonstrate.

A local grocery store in Portland has this amazing kale “slaw” with carrots and cabbage, and I’ve basically been living off of it for the past month.

It’s the easiest thingto reach into therefrigerator and grab to make quick salads, scrambles, or bowls. And I’ve made my own version for the base of this salad.

The amazing part of this 20-minute recipeis the dressing. It’s a simple mix of cashew butter, chili garlic sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil (meaning it’s soy-free!).

A sprinkle of salt (or tamari) adds a bit of saltiness if needed, but I usually skip! It’s a gorgeous bright orange hue, creamy, and spicy-sweet (my favorite).

This salad makes a delicious snack or side, but to make it an entrée, I added some miso-roasted crispychickpeas! That’s right, I did a little internet research and found a few tips for making chickpeas super crispy and crunchy.

I hope you all LOVE this salad! It’s:

Crunchy
Savory
Spicy
Fast
Healthy
Satisfying
Delicious

This is the perfect salad to pack for lunches, picnics, or when you’re craving a light but satisfying meal. The crunchy chickpeas add a nice amount of protein and fiber to keep you satisfied for hours.

More Kale Salads

• y
• Kumquat Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
• White Bean Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
• from Cookie + Kate!

If you try this recipe be sure to let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Crunchy Kale Salad with Spicy Cashew Sesame Dressing

Super crunchy kale salad with a quick, creamy cashew-sesame dressing! Crunchy Miso Chickpeas are optional for added crunch and protein! A delicious, hearty plant-based entrée or side. Author Minimalist Baker Print SAVE SAVED 4.82 from 33 votes Cook Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 20 minutes minutes Servings Course EntréeCuisine Asian-Inspired, Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly NoDoes it keep? 3 Days Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

CHICKPEAS* optional

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 2 Tbsp avocado or untoasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp white or yellow miso paste* (ensure vegan friendly // use chickpea miso if soy-free)
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

VEGETABLES

• 1 large bundle finely chopped kale (organic when possible // ~5 cups as original recipe is written)
• 1 cup finely grated carrots (I use this mandolin // 2 large carrots yield ~1 cup)
• 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage (I use this mandolin // 1/2 small cabbage yields ~2 cups)

DRESSING

• 1/4 cup creamy cashew butter (or sub almond or peanut butter)
• 1/3 cup chili garlic sauce
• 1/4 cup toasted or untoasted sesame oil
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 healthy pinch sea salt (optional // or 1 Tbsp tamari per healthy pinch salt)

Instructions

CHICKPEAS (optional)

• If preparing chickpeas, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Rinse and drain chickpeas well. Then pat very dry – this will help them crisp up.
• To a medium mixing bowl add avocado oil, miso paste, maple syrup, and chili garlic sauce and whisk to combine. Then add chickpeas and toss to coat. Arrange on a bare baking sheet (or more baking sheets, as needed, if increasing batch size) and bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing/stirring once at the halfway point to ensure even baking. They’re done when crisp and deep golden brown (see photo). Set aside.

DRESSING + SALAD

• Add kale, carrots and cabbage to a large mixing/serving bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
• To prepare dressing, to a small mixing bowl add cashew butter, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil maple syrup, and salt and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, chili garlic sauce for heat, cashew butter for creaminess, or salt or tamari for saltiness. Set aside.
• Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to combine. To serve, divide salad between serving plates and top with crunchy miso chickpeas (optional). Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days (even longer if the dressing is stored separate from the veggies). Store leftover chickpeas in a well-sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.

Notes

*Chickpeas adapted from Dinner with Julie.
*Prep/cook time does not include cooking chickpeas.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculatedwith dressing and without chickpeas.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 343 Carbohydrates: 27.5 g Protein: 6.5 g Fat: 24.1 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 232 mg Fiber: 3.4 g Sugar: 9.2 g