Asian Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

       Asian Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Chopped kale, carrots, purple cabbage, edamame, and almonds all drizzled in a zesty carrot ginger dressing? Sign me up! This Asian kale salad is super healthy and can be whipped up in less than 20 minutes! A salad recipe that is the perfect vegan meal!

Kale is one of the healthiest veggies out there. Sometimes it can be too hard to digest when eaten raw, but not in this delicious salad. Trust me!

Don’t get me started on the carrot ginger dressing too. My goodness, it’s like liquid gold and the best part is, the base is carrots giving you that extra veggie intake!

Ingredients

• Kale – any variety will go or any greens you’d like
• Edamame
• Shredded carrots
• Purple Cabbage
• Slivered almonds
• Carrot ginger dressing

How to prepare kale for salad

Kale can be mighty tough and hard to digest if consumed raw. With a few tips and tricks, you can get palatable kale that’s perfect for a salad base!

1. Start by removing the leaves from the tough stems
2. Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl
3. Fill the bowl with warm water and massage. It’s important the water is warm as this helps break down the toughness in kale
4. Rinse and drain the kale
5. Lay out on towels or paper towels to air dry

How to make carrot ginger dressing

The main ingredients in this dressing are in the title – carrots and ginger! Which is actually kinda cool that you’re getting vegetables in your dressing too. Fresh ginger brings a nice kick to this recipe and is healthy for you as well.

• Start by peeling and chopping fresh ginger and carrots in placing in a food processor or blender
• Add garlic, agave, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame seed oil, and water.
• Turn the food processor (or blender) on high and let it do the work.

How to make kale quinoa salad

1. Add kale, edamame, carrots, and purple cabbage to a large serving bowl
2. Top with carrot ginger dressing and slivered almonds

Variations of this kale and quinoa salad:

Any combination of vegetables and protein is great with this carrot ginger dressing.

• Swap out spinach or romaine for kale
• Add edamame or tofu for some extra protein
• Add toasted almonds and cashews on top for a nice crunch!

No matter what vegetable/protein route you choose to take, I swear this dressing is a winner.

Is this kale quinoa salad good for meal prep?

Absolutely! You can prep the kale and put it in single-serving containers with the kale, carrots, cabbage, and edamame. The dressing can be made in advance as well and stored in a mason jar.

When ready to eat, add quinoa and top with dressing and almonds.

This salad will keep for about a week with the veggies, quinoa, and dressing stored separately.

So next time you run into a work lunch rut and are seeking to step your game up, look no further with this chopped kale salad. 

Not only is it filling and satisfying, but it’s also so simple to make yet so healthy! Whether you make this salad recipe as a side dish for dinner or make a huge bowl as a meal, this kale salad with carrot ginger dressing is exactly what you need in your life, my friends.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 4 cups curly kale destemmed and torn
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 1 cup shelled edamame thawed

For the Dressing:

• 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped (can use 1 cup of shredded carrots instead)
• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 1 inch knob fresh ginger peeled and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice about the juice of one lime
• 2 Tablespoons agave nectar
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup neutral oil like canola, grapeseed, avocado
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Destem and tear kale. Wash kale by massaging under warm water. Rinse and lay out on towels to dry.
• Add washed kale to a large mixing bowl, add carrots, cabbage, and edamame.

Make the Dressing:

• In a food processor, add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.
• To serve, add kale to bowls and top with dressing. Add sliced almonds on top.

Notes

You can find shelled edamame in the frozen foods section.