Kale Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

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A kale salad you’ll actually crave.

Kale salad with ginger peanut dressing on plates.

Believe it or not, this kale salad will have you eating your veggies with ravenous abandon. It’s filled with crunchy carrots and shredded red cabbage—which you can buy already prepped at the supermarket—and loads of toasted almonds, but it’s the Asian-style peanut dressing laced with ginger and garlic that makes it so good. You’ll want to drink it!

“When hubby saw me making salad with kale, he was far from impressed. But then he tried it…(gates of heaven opening, angel music playing)… OMG!!! Absolute gem, gorgeousness!!!! PLEASE try this people!”

Angela

What You’ll Need To Make Kale Salad With Ginger Peanut Dressing

kale salad ingredients
  • Curly Kale: Provides a hearty base for the salad with its robust texture and earthy flavor.
  • Red Cabbage: Adds vibrant color and a satisfying crunch to the salad.
  • Shredded Carrots: Offer subtle sweetness and additional texture to the dish.
  • Red Bell Pepper: Contributes a pop of color and freshness to the salad.
  • Slivered Almonds: Provide a crunchy contrast. Don’t skip the toasting step as it releases the almonds’ oils and makes them much more flavorful.
  • Fresh Cilantro: Adds a burst of freshness and herbaceous aroma to the salad.
  • Creamy Peanut Butter: Creates a creamy base and adds richness to the dressing. For a smooth dressing, avoid crunchy peanut butter.
  • Unseasoned Rice Vinegar: Provides acidity and balances the flavors of the dressing.
  • Lime Juice: Offers tanginess and brightness to the dressing.
  • Vegetable Oil: Helps emulsify the ingredients and provides a smooth texture.
  • Soy Sauce: Adds depth of flavor, umami, and saltiness to the dressing.
  • Honey and Sugar: Provide sweetness to balance the acidity and spice in the dressing.
  • Garlic and Ginger: Infuse the dressing with aromatic flavor and depth.
  • Sriracha: Adds a kick of heat and complexity to the dressing.
  • Toasted Sesame Oil: Offers a nutty aroma and enhances the Asian-inspired flavors of the dressing.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-By-Step Instructions

Begin by arranging the almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

almonds on baking sheet

Bake until lightly golden and fragrant.

Toasted almonds on a lined baking sheet.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender.

kale salad dressing ingredients in food processor

Purée until smooth and creamy.

creamy dressing in food processor

Combine the vegetables, almonds, and dressing in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top.

kale salad and dressing in mixing bowl

Toss well.

tossed kale salad

Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Toss again, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. As the salad sits, the flavors may dull; a squeeze of lime and/or pinch of salt will wake things up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a substitute for the cilantro?

Sure, you can replace the cilantro with flat-leaf (Italian) parsley.

Can I use store-bought chopped kale, and bagged shredded red cabbage and carrots?

Absolutely! Feel free to reduce the prep time by using these supermarket shortcuts.

Can I make kale salad in advance?

Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, although it won’t be quite as pretty, as the colors dull once refrigerated. Make sure to cover the salad tightly—the cabbage has a strong odor.

Kale salad with ginger peanut dressing on plates.

You May Also Like

Asian Kale Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

A kale salad you’ll actually crave.

Servings: 6
Total Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 4 cups chopped curly kale, thick stems removed (patted dry)
  • 3 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • ¾ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see note)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Bake the almonds until lightly golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them; nuts burn quickly.) Transfer the nuts to a small plate to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy.
  4. Combine the ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Toss again, and then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (As the salad sits, the flavors may dull; a squeeze of lime juice will wake things up.)
  5. Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 282
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Sugar: 17g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 7g
  • Sodium: 505mg
  • Cholesterol: 0

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • This is now one of my favorite salads. All summer I have a garden full of kale. With this recipe, chopping the kale into small pieces makes it very easy to eat and even those who don’t love kale will like it. But the sauce is delicious. I used crunchy peanut butter as it’s all I had (and 1 tbs of maple syrup and 1 tbs of honey) and came out great.

    • — Rosemary Didear on September 21, 2024
    • Reply
  • Made this recipe with two modifications. My husband is watching his saturated fat so instead of creamy peanut butter, I used PB fit powder, (provides all the flavor of peanut butter minus 90% of the fat). Also did not use the Sriracha because it’s too hot for his palette. It was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much… We will be eating this frequently now to get our super foods in our diet!

    • — Mary Beth Chambers on September 8, 2024
    • Reply
    • Thank you for the heads up and the PB fit. I forget that it’s in my pantry, ugh. Did you have any problems with creaminess or consistency? I’m assuming you just added enough water to make it as creamy as you wanted.

      • — Maureen on September 19, 2024
      • Reply
  • I’m allergic to peanuts so I substituted pine nuts and wow butter in this recipe. The whole family loved it! I served it with the Thai marinated grilled chicken (I didn’t bother with skewers). Even my 11 yo that hates salad loved this!

    • — Tiffany on June 1, 2024
    • Reply
  • I was a little hesitant to make this, however, I had a ton of red cabbage left over from another recipe and was looking for a way to use it up. I love kale, so I figured why not. Oh my! This salad is sooo good! Everything was spot on, perfect! My spouse and I both raved over it. I paired it with Jenn’s Thai Sweet Chili Glaze Salmon and I thought it made a lovely, easy dinner. The most time consuming part was the chopping of the vegetables, but it really wasn’t that bad. Will definitely be making this again!

    • — Lilee on May 16, 2024
    • Reply
  • All I can say is WOW!!! I added chicken to make it a main dish salad, and it was fantastic! This salad is perfect.

    • — Suzanne D on April 27, 2024
    • Reply

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