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!
What You’ll Need To Make Kale Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing
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.
You May Also Like
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- Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
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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This was delicious! I made it last night on a whim to go with some miso salmon for lunch today. I used sliced almonds instead of slivers as it’s what I had in the house. I omitted the tablespoon of sugar. In the future I’ll probably take it down to 2 tbsp of honey as it was still really sweet for me (my palate is super sensitive to sweet things). I also added some hemp hearts to give it a protein boost.
This will be going in my regular meal rotation as it’s soooooo good! In fact it was so good I felt compelled to leave my first ever recipe review! I’m excited to check out what else you have on this site to cook up!
Hi There from a balmy Stockholm morning. I am currently in the process of putting together the shop list for your kale salad, I have a thing for kale that is challenging to express in popular dishes at home (if that makes sense?) just wanted to say that I appreciate your effort and thought through direction. Promise to repost upon consumption! ..Joey
This was amazing! I served it with Sweer Chilli sauce Salmon and Courgette Lemon Rice Pilaf – really refreshing and complex and the dressing is exceptional! Thanks Jen!
I am wondering where your Menus suggestions went? I found them helpful for entertaining…hope you will post them again please. Thanks
Thanks for the link Jenn!
Great recipe!!!
This salad is amazing! I made the recipe exactly as written and I wouldn’t change a thing. I paired it with Grilled Honey, Lime, and Siracha Chicken Skewers for the perfect summer dinner. Thanks, Jenn, for another keeper!
I absolutely love this salad dressing. I rarely have kale AND cabbage AND pepper AND cilantro all at once. But I make cabbage salad, kale salad, plain old lettuce salad – they’re all fantastic. I make a triple batch and keep in the fridge for a week or two. Thank you!!
This is legit one of the best slaw salads I have ever had in my entire life… and I have had a *lot* of different salads.
Truly a fantastic recipe, and one that I will make at every opportunity alongside stir fries, shiozake, miso salmon, and any other South East Asian (or Central Asian!) dishes I can pair it with!
This looks delicious! I’m preparing to make it this weekend. I have chili garlic sauce. Can that be a substitute for the Sriracha?
Hi Kathy, chili garlic sauce has a different flavor than sriracha, but I think it will still be tasty. Enjoy!
Prepared this delicious dish last evening. Instructions are perfect. Added a jalapeño pepper simply because I wanted to use it up. The complete dish is simply scrumptious. I combined all ingredients and left in the refrigerator close to an hour before serving. Will serve again and again. Simply love this!! Thank you!!
This was YUM YUM YUM! My husband who isn’t a kale fan loved it. I couldn’t stop eating it… I made it exactly as is. Used natural peanut butter. Used tube ginger (1 TB) from the produce aisle instead of fresh. This will be added to my repertoire of recipes for sure. Definitely is a great “bring to a dinner party ” or “Bring an Appetizer/Salad to a party” type of dish. I think it will be a big winner. Lots of bold flavor. Love the crunchiness of the almonds, that just is the icing on this cake. Thanks Jenn , you’ve done it yet again!
I just wanted to also add that I massaged the kale in water before chopping it to ensure it was nice and tender. Did it for about 5 minutes by hand. I’m paranoid about that!
Jenn, could I substitute baby kale in a package for fresh with stems, or will the texture be different?
Your site is my favorite go-to for wonderful “tried and true” recipes.
Hi Pam, So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes! Unfortunately, baby kale won’t work here – it’s too tender and won’t hold up as well. Sorry!
This looks wonderful but I’m not a big kale fan. Would you be able to recommend a substitution?
P, I’d recommend making this recipe instead – it’s very similar and no kale. 🙂
This is a wonderful salad, but because of concerns for health, I eliminated the salt, the sugar and decreased the oil. 500+ mg of sodium is just too much, almost half of a daily acceptable dose. All this sugar turns to cholesterol, as well. I love big taste and won’t forfeit it, but some changes can be made in your great recipes to avoid a lifetime of heartache (literally).
My favorite for over two years. Every recipe has something different. So it never gets boring. Thank you for helping make things easier at home.
This is a great salad from beginning to end. You may try to substitute walnuts, peanuts or pistachios instead of walnuts. If you do not want to use nuts, chop peanuts and add to dressing. We love this salad
This is a great salad from beginning to end. You may try to substitute walnuts, peanuts or pistachios instead of walnuts. If you do not want to use nuts, chop peanuts and add to dressing. We love this salad
This has become my go-to summer salad. My family insists I bring it to any potluck BBQ. The dressing is the perfect balance of tangy, sweet and spicy. An absolute winner!
Is it okay to sub almond butter as we have peanut allergies. It sounds soooo delicious! Thanks for all your great recipes; looking forward to your book!
Yes, I think almond butter should work just fine here. Glad you like the recipes! 🙂
I tried this salad last night and it turned out amazing. I added fried chicken chunks to make this salad a meal. I love, love love the peanut dressing. My husband said we should have this often. Thank you Jenn!!!
Easy and delicious! I added grilled chicken for a filling dinner.
This is the perfect salad for a large group of people. I have made this at least 20 times, it’s always a crowd pleaser. My changes over the years include adding healthy doses of cilantro, mint and Thai basil and I omit the sesame oil since there are enough other great flavors.
Hi, I see you’ve made this for large groups. I’m planning to make this to serve 35 for a baby shower. There will be other appetizer food there too. Do you think doubling the recipe will be enough?
While I’m sure there will be plenty of other food, if there are going to be 35 people, I think I’d suggest tripling the recipe. Hope everyone enjoys!
Love love love this salad. The dressing is what makes it. Honestly I could pour over or dip anything in this dressing. Perfect balance of sweet, sour ,spicy and and salty.
The lime brightens it up.
The only thing I do differently is I massage the kale to soften it. This makes it less tough. Thanks for a new favorite salad.
This salad! It’s beautiful to look at, great for a crowd, flexible (add all kinds of other veggies and things), and can be made and kept in advance. That said, it’s the dressing that really first caught my attention as I was looking for a peanut dressing that was a little spicy and sweet with a strong peanut-y flavor. This is it. Easy to make and I usually double it so have extra. It is also delicious on grilled chicken (think satay peanut sauce). We love it.
One of my favorite salads. I added stir fried tofu and added on top and it was so yummy! thank you!
Hi Jenn
Can the dressing be made a day in advance? Then add it at the time of serving
Yep!
New family favorite. I’ve made it several times now.
Delicious. Terrific combination of veggies. Balanced dressing.
Used neighbor-made, fresh pureed pb; raw Taos honey; Topshelf Soy. Otherwise, used all the same ingredients listed.
Well Done Jenn.
I have made this salad numerous times for family get togethers! It turns out perfect every time! People are always asking for the recipe.
Thanks for a great go-to salad recipe!
This is always a crowd pleaser. Easy to make. The veggies can be prepared ahead and the dressing poured on when ready. The veggie amounts can approximate those in the recipe; no need to be exact. And the dressing is good to have around for other green salads, not just this one.
This was an amazing recipe. A nice blend of veggies, beautiful presentation and the peanut dressing was exceptional. I added chopped green onion instead of cilantro and will be making it again! Thanks for sharing it.
This has become a favorite salad for my family and guests. I don’t make any changes to the recipe and everyone loves it. The dressing is delicious and so easy to make.
This was a very tasty salad with an amazing dressing. Served it to guests who also enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it!
I made this last night along with Jenn’s Oven Baby Back Ribs wth Hoisin BBQ Sauce. The salad was delicious! Perfect with the ribs.
Excellent salad! I have recently discovered your site and plan to make a number of these recipes. The ginger peanut dressing was great. Thanks.
Hi Jenn,
I was wondering if I could use this peanut sauce to serve to serve warm with chicken next to a side of sticky rice. Also, I came across multiple recipes that you have posted that include peanut sauce and noticed that while some had called for sesame oil, others did not. Any advice on which specific peanut sauce would go best with chicken dish next to sticky rice?
Thank you so much !
Hi Malak, you can definitely warm this up and serve it over chicken- it’s a great way to use it! I don’t think one of the peanut dressings/sauces would better than another on the chicken. It’s just a matter of preference.
This has quickly become a staple recipe in our home. My husband isn’t even a raw kale fan, but he loves this salad. The peanut dressing is insanely delicious. Thank you!
When I’m looking for an outstanding & unusual salad to bring to a dinner, I make this recipe. I love the crunchy texture of the salad and the flavours are excellent: my friends always ask for the recipe. I make the recipe as is but use the dressing sparingly. Five stars!
This was delicious. I didn’t have almonds both times I have made this. The first time it was 95 degrees so I didn’t bother to toast the almonds. I just chopped them and it was delicious. Going forward I may not bother with the toasting.
Second time I had no almonds and no red cabbage. I made it with a kale salad mix and and pepitas for extra crunch and it was STILL delicious. Very versatile and works with a lot if different ingredients.
So I just made this salad dressing and it is amazing! I left out the sugar. I felt between the honey and the peanut butter it would be sweet enough. Right on the nose. This is great. Thank you.
I have made this salad so many times!! It is fabulous!! My grown children love it, so does my husband. I have brought it to picnics, to pot luck dinners and to somewhat fancy dinners at friends’ homes and it is always a hit, always disappears. Has made so many family members and friends “kale eaters” who before wouldn’t have given kale a second look. Bravo!!
I adore this recipe. It is my husband’s favorite and he used to really dread Kale before I found this recipe.
I actually double the recipe and make wraps the next day with the leftovers. The Kale stands up to sitting in the dressing overnight.
This has becone my new, favourite salad. Love the flavours!
Just a beautiful, crunchy, delicious salad that I have made several times. I always get compliments on the way it looks and tastes.
The dressing really enhances the vegetables.
Thank you Jenn for your website. I always go here and my Silver Palette Cookbook first when looking for a never fail recipe.
I have been looking for a delicious Ginger Peanut dressing for years & now I have finally found it. It is so yummy and so easy to make. Next time I will double the recipe and add a touch more sriracha sauce.
This salad is delicious!! It’s so fresh tasting and has great crunch! The dressing tastes amazing and I wouldn’t change anything about it (and I often tweak recipes). My young children even love this dressing! I have made this salad several times and each time my husband raves about it and others ask for the recipe. Thanks Jenn for another awesome recipe!!
Hi Jen, first, I love all you receives and you make me look like a great cook!!:)
My question is I accidentally bought seasoned rice vinegar. Can I use the seasoned or can you please give me your thoughts? Thank you
So happy you’re enjoying the recipes, Vicky :). No problem to use the seasoned rice vinegar – you might just want to cut back a tad on the sugar.
Simply delicious! It’s best the first day as the flavors are the freshest; however, I love marinated food, so sitting in dressing for a few days is fine by me. I’ve been making this for 6 months now — once a month maybe? If you HATE kale (like I do– tastes like how you’d think lawn clippings would taste), you still have a chance of liking this salad (assuming the dressing combo sounds appealing to you). Totally worth trying!
I’ve really been enjoying every recipe I’ve tried from your site!! Thank you for testing them for us all, and perfecting the recipes!!
I do have a request….I have been looking high and low for a knock off recipe for Panera Breads, Asian Seasame Vinegarette dressing….could you help me out?
Hi Shari, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I’m not familiar with Panera’s Asian Sesame Vinaigrette, but the dressing on this salad may resemble the taste you’re going for.
This salad is to die for. I made it as is the first time and loved it. Everyone who has tried it, loves it. The salad dressing is to die for so now when I make it, I double up on the amount of dressing and it all disappears.
Sounds great! I’m making it tonight for 6-8 people. I’m also throwing in wasabi peas and whole peanuts. What do you think?