You’ve never had kale salad like this before! This Creamy Kale Salad recipe with a vegan dressing is so delicious and satisfying. This recipe is oil-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and naturally-sweetened.

bowl of creamy kale salad on a green floral napkin with fresh purple flowers.

This creamy kale salad recipe is an update to a very old recipe on my site called my “Strangely Addictive Kale Salad” recipe. If you are a long-time reader of this blog, then you probably remember that recipe.

I’ve updated the photos and refined the recipe to make it quick and easy. I hope you love it! It’s one of my favorite kale salad recipes and it’s perfect for a meal prep lunch or an easy side dish that even kale haters will try.

Creamy Kale Salad Benefits

  • Not everyone loves a savory kale salad. The leaves can be bitter and hard to digest. In this chopped kale salad recipe, the substantial dressing helps mask any bitter flavor and makes the lacinato kale so much more appealing!
  • You can top this best kale salad recipe with lots of extras such as sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, or crispy chickpeas to add even more interest and nutrition.
  • Despite the creamy dressing, there is no dairy in this recipe whatsoever which means it’s suitable for vegans or dairy-free people.

Ingredients

ingredients for creamy vegan kale salad with labels.

You’ll need some shredded kale for this recipe. You can either buy it pre-shredded or shred it yourself.

The dressing is made using a blended mixture of tahini or almond butter, lime juice, dates, shallot, and almond milk. I’m telling you, it’s absolutely scrumptious!

Recipe Steps

Step One

The easiest way to make a kale salad is to buy pre-washed and shredded kale.

But, if you want to save money, then you can always wash and shred it yourself. Just buy one bunch of curly green or purple kale, rinse the leaves under running water, and then pat them dry.

Pull off each leaf from the stems, place them in a mixing bowl or large bowl, and then use scissors or your hands to shred the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

Or, you can use the shredding dish on a food processor.

bowl of shredded kale salad with no dressing.

Step Two

The next step is to make the dressing.

For this Sweet Creamy Kale Salad, we’re going to make a creamy dressing that is sweetened with dates and no olive oil.

To make the dressing, just combine your unsweetened plant milk with your tahini or almond butter, dates, lemon or lime juice, some shallot or onion, and salt and pepper, if desired.

You could also add seasonings like garlic powder, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, sea salt, Dijon mustard, or red wine vinegar as you see fit.

dressing ingredients for kale salad in a vitamix blender.

Step Three

Blend your dressing ingredients using a Blendtec or a Vitamix. This will ensure that the dressing is super creamy.

kale salad dressing blended in a vitamix blender.

Step Four

Pour the dressing over your kale salad and use a spoon or your hands to mix together in the large mixing bowl.

kale salad with dressing on top.

Step Five

If you can, let your Sweet Kale Salad sit for 15 minutes before serving. The kale will become more tender as it sits with the dressing. Otherwise, you can serve it right away.

Either way, I think you are really going to love this salad. The date-sweetened, creamy dressing goes so well with the crunchy kale leaves. It is my favorite way to eat kale!

Serve it chilled or at room temperature. It’s also nice topped with some thinly sliced red onion or chopped red bell pepper. This tasty salad is really versatile.

bowl of kale salad with purple flowers on a table.

Recipe Tips

  • The easiest way to make a kale salad is to buy pre-washed and shredded kale. But, if you want to save money, then you can always wash and shred it yourself. Just buy one bunch of curly green or purple kale, rinse the leaves under running water, and then pat them dry. Pull off each leaf from the stems, place them in a mixing bowl, and then use scissors or your hands to shred the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Or, you can use the shredding dish on a food processor to shred the kale (be sure not to over-process the kale or it will start to break down)
  • Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • To make this a main dish, serve the kale salad with your favorite cooked protein, including grilled or baked tofu cubes, crumbled tempeh, grilled sliced chicken, or cooked steak. If you use an animal protein, then the salad will no longer be vegan.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this recipe using baby spinach?

Yes, but the spinach doesn’t hold up as well as the kale, so it may become soggy.

Can I use Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale for this recipe?

Yes, but curly kale is the preferred type of kale for this salad. It is the most tender of the types of kale.

More Healthy Kale Recipes You Might Like

Even More Kale Recipes!

Vegan Creamed Kale Using Coconut Milk

Weight Loss Smoothie with Kale

Kale Microgreens 101: Benefits and How to Grow

Baked Sweet Potato and Kale

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Print
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two bowls of kale salad with gold forks and purple flowers

Sweet Kale Salad with Creamy Dressing

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

You’ve never had kale salad like this before! This Sweet Kale Salad with Creamy Dressing is so delicious and satisfying. This recipe is oil-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, naturally-sweetened, and vegan-friendly.

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 ounces shredded kale salad, from about 1 large bunch (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 4 pitted Medjool dates
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1/2 shallot
  • 1/3 cup tahini or almond butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Place the shredded kale in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Then, combine the almond milk, dates, lime juice, shallot, and tahini or almond butter in the base of a high-speed blender.
  3. Blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until the dressing is creamy.
  4. Pour the dressing over the kale and use a spatula or your hands to toss the salad. Make sure that the dressing gets evenly distributed on the kale.
  5. Serve immediately, or refrigerate before serving. The kale will get more tender as it sits with the dressing.

Equipment

Notes

  1. The easiest way to make a kale salad is to buy pre-washed and shredded kale. But, if you want to save money, then you can always wash and shred it yourself. Just buy one bunch of curly green or purple kale, rinse the leaves under running water, and then pat them dry. Pull off each leaf from the stems, place them in a mixing bowl, and then use scissors or your hands to shred the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Or, you can use the shredding dish on a food processor to shred the kale (be sure not to over-process the kale or it will start to break down)
  2. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  3. To make this a main dish, serve the kale salad with your favorite cooked protein, including grilled or baked tofu cubes, crumbled tempeh, grilled sliced chicken, or cooked steak. If you use an animal protein, then the salad will no longer be vegan.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 236
  • Sugar: 19.3 g
  • Sodium: 32.1 mg
  • Fat: 12.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.5 g
  • Fiber: 4.7 g
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.