Brazil Nut Free Kale, Apple & Walnut Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Massaged kale salads have a way of converting even the most skeptical leafy-green skeptics, and this one earns its place at the table with crisp apple slices, toasty walnuts, chewy dried cranberries, and crunchy pumpkin seeds all working together in every bite. The real star is the lemon tahini dressing — a silky blend of tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, honey, grated garlic, and a pinch of turmeric that comes together in minutes and makes the whole bowl feel restaurant-worthy. Taking the time to massage the kale with a little sea salt is the move that transforms it from tough and bitter to tender and deeply flavored, so don't skip that step. Once the leaves have soaked up that golden dressing for a few minutes, the texture is genuinely luxurious. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to source without worrying about cross-contact from tree nuts you're trying to avoid — brazil nuts are nowhere near this bowl. It's the kind of salad that works as a light lunch on its own or holds up beautifully alongside a heartier main, and the leftovers (if you have any) actually keep better than most dressed salads thanks to how sturdy massaged kale is.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 large bunch curly or lacinato kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened juice or lightly sweetened with fruit juice)
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn kale in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the sea salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale firmly for 1–2 minutes until the leaves darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, grated garlic, turmeric, and black pepper until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the dressing is pourable and coats the back of a spoon.
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