Nourishing Kale Salad with Cilantro Peanut Dressing

hello meatless monday! whether that’s everyday for you or just today, i love sharing a yummy savory dish on mondays. today, i have a light salad with the creamiest and dreamiest dressing in the whole world. Nourishing Kale Salad with Cilantro Peanut Dressing is the ultimate salad to have on repeat all summer long!

personally, i like eating a huge bowl of Nourishing Kale Salad with Cilantro Peanut Dressing but it sure does make an awesome side salad.

if you’re going to a cookout or get together, it’s a delicious and fresh option that’s packed with nutrients and flavor.

the best part is the dressing in my opinion. it’s drinkable lol.

by the way, massaging your kale makes SUCH a difference in the texture in my opinion, and for the better too.

i prefer massaging kale with avocado oil. it’s mild in taste and does a good job. 

you don’t need a lot at all! maybe start with 1/2 tbsp and add another 1/2 tbsp after 30-45 seconds or so if it’s even needed.

the key is to break down the kale so it’s more tender. you squeeze the kale with your hands and make sure that you’re getting all of the pieces. do this for about three minutes!

once the kale is noticeably more tender, you should be good to go.

ah the dressing, it’s flippin’ amazing. you might want to make a batch each week to keep on hand for any other salads you make.

it’s very simple to make and the cilantro + peanut butter combo is what really makes it!

if you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can definitely omit it.

i think chives might be a good replacement, but they have an onion-like taste, so keep that in mind.

the kale i used is from Trader Joe’s! it’s a 10 ounce bag of pre shredded kale. i used about 15 ounces or 1.5 bags. i did go through and remove any of the hard kale ribs that were left, which wasn’t many.

lacinato kale is delicious too but a little stronger in taste!

i used common curly kale, which i do find to be a little more mild in taste. if you’re not a fan of raw kale, maybe stick with it!

ok, so here’s everything you need to make the cilantro peanut dressing:

• fresh cilantro

• peanut butter

• rice vinegar

• sesame oil

• liquid aminos

• fresh ginger

• garlic

• onion powder

• dijon mustard

• water

as you can see, i added some roasted chickpeas to the salad but the add in options are endless. you could add anything from roasted veggies to avocados and nuts.

in fact, if you’re turning this into a dinner or lunch salad and want to make it heartier, just add more!

maybe some additional protein like tofu or something.

are you going to make my Nourishing Kale Salad with Cilantro Peanut Dressing?!

if you make one of my recipes, i would LOVE to see your creation! be sure to leave a review in the comments section, it is so appreciated and helps my small business. 

also, you can follow upbeetandkaleingit on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more vegan recipes!

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