Kale Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing
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A kale salad you’ll actually crave.
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!”
What You’ll Need To Make Kale Salad With Ginger Peanut Dressing
- 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.
Bake until lightly golden and fragrant.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Purée until smooth and creamy.
Combine the vegetables, almonds, and dressing in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top.
Toss well.
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
Sure, you can replace the cilantro with flat-leaf (Italian) parsley.
Absolutely! Feel free to reduce the prep time by using these supermarket shortcuts.
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.
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Asian Kale Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing
A kale salad you’ll actually crave.
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
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- 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.
- Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy.
- 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.)
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Nutrition Information
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- 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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LOVED the nutty crunch of the refreshing salad! Made this for my 13 year old son and he loved it!! A beautifully colorful salad that has a variety of veggies. Thanks for the recipe.
Amazing salad. Never knew I loved kale so much until I had this. The dressing was top notch. Thank you!
This salad is amazing. The dressing is soooooo good. I’ve paired this with blackened fish tacos and it is SO good. thank you for the recipe!
Fantastic!! My husband and I could not get enough. Had to substitute walnuts and used dried cilantro in the dressing since I was out of fresh, but still so good. Great way to use kale and will be a regular in our house from now on!
This is delicious and very simple!! Added avocado as well. Huge hit with my fiancé too. Thank you!!
I am not joking when I say this recipe works miracles! I got my step-son to eat kale! Amazingly good salad. This was the focal point of my dinner, chicken satay and pot stickers. Thanks for the recipe.
Wow! I made this today and was blown away at how good it is. I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and it came out great!
Is it OK to make the Asian kale salad the night before for a cook out?
Hi Danielle, Yes but definitely keep the dressing separate until serving or the salad will get soggy.
This salad is OUTSTANDING. Lovely on it’s own, we make it a meal by adding grilled chicken breast marinated in soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. My husband dislikes kale and cabbage, but he devoured this!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I love healthy food and Asian food so this was a perfect mix. The dressing had a really good taste of sweet and savory. I would absolutely make this dish again!
Wow wow wow! This salad is amazing. Yummy, crunchy, blend of so many wonderful things that are good for you! I made this for dinner for my husband and myself to serve as a salad and instead we almost ate the entire giant bowl of it and nothing else. Once again another winner from Once Upon A Chef!
Made this salad for a family get together. Everyone loved it, especially my nephew who wanted the recipe so he could make it on his own.
I see you have sesame oil but I would also sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top just before serving. It would help give the salad a little more asian taste to go along with the peanut dressing. Looks great!
I just have one word. YUM-O.
One of the best salad dressings I have tried recently. It was perfect with the ingredients in the salad. I used the leftover dressing- make extra- on a spinach salad. It was wonderful with the spinach, mushrooms and onions. Part of my permanent file. Thanks.
I have made your recipe for “Asian Kale Salad with Creamy Ginger Peanut Dressing” several times this past 2-3 months and LOVE IT! I doubled the recipe and took it to a pot-luck dinner…it was a great success! I had not eaten or prepared kale previously because I wasn’t really sure how to prepare it. Your introduction to the recipe, description of ingredients and instructions with photos made it so easy to have perfect results! Thank you
This recipe is great! I’m not a big peanut butter fan so I wasn’t sure about the dressing, but it was wonderful. My husband has asked me to make this salad often! Thanks so much for another tasty recipe.
The Asian kale salad w creamy peanut ginger dressing is absolutely out of the world….love it
best kale salad I’ve ever had. HANDS DOWN. thank you. this is a keeper and a winner.
Love the visuals and step/step process. Glad to have discovered your blog. Thanks for recipes!
Wow! This salad is exciting:-)! Such a nice change. I made this tonight exactly as the recipe stated and my husband and I both loved it. It’s such a great combination of flavors and textures and the dressing is wonderful. It would be a great main dish with added grilled shrimp, salmon, or chicken.
I make recipes off of blogs all the time and don’t believe I’ve ever felt compelled to comment– until now.
Wow, this was crazy good! And I’m not a big fan of the kale.
My husband and our teenaged son also gobbled it up.
Thank you!
The best salad I have ever made. So filling which is great cause it disappeared quick!
This is an amazing salad. I make tons and eat it over the week. It is healthy, delicious, crunchy, fresh, packed with nutrients, what can I say, thanks so much! My husband loves it too.
PS: I omit the almonds.
We usually don’t eat much salad, but this recipe was amazing!The only changes I made was adding more ginger and garlic and siracha. I also used baby kale. Yummy!
Yum – this was delicious! I love all of your ginger slaw salads, and this was no different. Sometimes I make it with just cabbage instead of kale, but it’s great either way. It’s a staple in my lunch rotation.
We LOVE this recipe the only change I make is using crunchy natural peanut butter. It’s colorful, crunchy and delicious. Sometimes I make enough to have leftovers but don’t add dressing until ready to serve. The salad stays crisp a couple of days as long as dressing is not added until serving.
I cook at least one of your recipes each week, and they never fail me! Always tasty and easy to cook. The Asian Kale salad is delicious the day of and the day after!!
Loved it. Thank you for your recipes….
Delicious dressing and salad! I don’t like kale but try to find ways to eat it since it’s so good for you, and this recipe did the trick for me. We also kept the dressing and the salad separate since we were eating it over several days for work lunches.
Beautiful AND delicious!!! If any recipe will convert a kale hater its this one!
Delicious Dressing! I was looking for a not too thick ginger peanut-ish dressing for a simple Asian salad to serve with miso salmon and this is a keeper : )
THE best kale salad ever. The whole family devoured it, even the picky I-don’t-like-kale people. Once upon a chef, yet again, as always, made my dinner awesome.
THANK YOU!! This recipe is fabulous. I think the dressing makes the recipe. This was my last effort to force myself to like kale. I actually bought it pre-chopped and then put it in the food processor to chop it even smaller, which made a world of difference. Delicious recipe. Thanks again!
This was so delicious. I could have drank the dressing. Haha.
I served it with a Honey-Ginger grilled pork tenderloin (recipe I got from epicurious) and the dishes complemented each other so well.
Thanks for another great recipe!
This might be my new favorite recipe! My husband is not a huge fan of kale, but he ate every last bite of this salad. I served it with your grilled ginger chicken and it was absolutely amazing. Thank you for a delicious Sunday night meal!
This salad was awesome! I served with shredded rotisserie chicken as a main course and it was a hit with the whole family.
Beautiful slaw. I used pre-cut kale (just trimming out any thick stems) which made it really easy to put together. Unless you’re serving this at a large gathering, I suggest keeping the nuts and dressing separate and adding as you eat it. The recipe makes a large portion and although it’s tasty the next day, it is perfect when put together just before you eat.
This salad is delicious! My husband complimented me on it about 10 times at dinner. We paired it with some grilled chicken. It’s perfect for summer evenings. I made extra dressing because it was do delicious we ran out before the salad was finished.
I liked it but my husband was not wild about this salad. He thought the dressing needed something but even after a few additions he still didn’t know what he was looking for. I loved the combination of ingredients and texture.
I loved this recipe. My mother always used a can of 7up to break apart the peanut butter, but honey is definitely healthier. I just doubled the lime and added a chili pepper to give the dressing a bit more kick.
This salad is amazing! So flavorful, healthy and beautiful. A friend made it for me, adding in 2 small jalapenos and increasing the amount of Siracha x3 to spice it up a bit more and it was fantastic.
Tried out this salad today but we added kohlrabi instead of and omitted the red pepper. The hubby was skeptical about the peanut butter but the dressing came out tasting very similar to something he makes using miso paste! I loved how I had all the dressing ingredients on hand.
Creamy peanut butter Salad dressing measurements?
this salad was DELISH! I made it exactly as written (a rare thing or me to do), and it turned out perfect! We topped it with grilled chicken to make it a meal, a keeper for sure 🙂
I made this wonderful salad last night because I had some kale languishing in the fridge just waiting to be used. I substituted yellow pepper for the red pepper, and tossed in grilled chicken breast so I serve it as a main meal; otherwise, I made the recipe exactly as is. Bravo! The salad was a hit! It was such a stunning rainbow of colors, and the greens look great even after sitting awhile in the dressing. The flavor and texture were wonderful. This will be a mainstay on my summer menu! Next time, I might chop in some mint and throw in some mango to brighten the flavor even more and to provide a sweet/savory contrast.
Don’t you love when you have all the ingredients you need for a recipe on hand? I had some kale biding its time in the fridge since last week’s farmers market, and extra cabbage from fish tacos, so when this recipe popped up in my email the next day I was sold. It was simple to make and delicious! I used orange and red bell peppers and green cabbage instead of red since that’s what I had on hand. Yum! Would be good with some shredded chicken breast as well.
Just made this… holy YUM! I followed the recipe exactly for the dressing. It would be good on just about any mixture of salad ingredients, so I wouldn’t stress if you don’t have 1 or 2 items. Would definitely be good with grilled salmon or scallops.
Any suggestion on what to serve this with? Would your pesto shrimp be a good option? It looks great! Thanks
Hi Christy, I’d go with an Asian-style main course, such as my Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken
(https://www.onceuponachef.com/2013/07/honey-lime-sriracha-chicken-skewers.html). Or simple grilled salmon or shrimp (seasoned only with salt and pepper) would also be good; the salad has a lot going on so you don’t want too many competing flavors. Hope you enjoy it!
Healthy, and refreshing, you can’t ask for anything better!
Hi jenn i am looking at the asian kalad salad with creamy ginger dressing an i noticed in the picture it showed wesson oil but its not listed in the ingredient list. Am i missing something? Thanks!
Thank you so much for catching that, Tammy. It has been corrected.
I just made the dressing and it’s delicious. Can’t wait to to try it on the salad.