Creamy Miso Tahini Dressing (Best Dressing for Kale Salad)

If you are into creamy dressings, this one is for you! This is the Best Dressing for Kale Salad and it comes together in less than 5 minutes, with 6 ingredients only!

Any salad can turn into an amazing side (or meal) if a good dressing is added. And I love to go beyond my usual olive-oil-vinegar dressing.

This dressing for kale salad is packed with so many flavors- it's nutty, savory, tangy, and sweet. And I am pretty sure you will be as obsessed with it as I am.

Why You'll love this recipe

• This dressing for kale salad is super creamy and packed with flavor. It can take any boring salad or meal to the next level.
• It's so easy to make, only 5 minutes of prep is required. After that, it lasts for up to a week in the fridge.
• It's made from healthy ingredients. This dressing is pretty wholesome - it's vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Ingredients

• Tahini. Use good-quality tahini for best results.
• Miso paste. We reccomend using white or yellow miso paste. We haven't tried this recipe with dark miso, but we think it may work.
• Sweetener of choice. We like using maple syrup or honey, but agave can also work.
• Lemon juice. For balancing out the bitterness and the sweetness.
• Water. To thin out the dressing and make it pourable.
• Garlic powder. We like to use garlic powder, because it's not as strong and slightly sweeter, compared to fresh garlic. If you don't have it on hand, fresh garlic works just as fine too!
• Salt.

How to Make This Dressing

To make this dressing for kale salad, add all of the ingredients to a bowl. We recommend starting with less amount of water and adjusting later if needed.

Next, using a whisk, mix everything until smooth and creamy. At this point, you can add more water if you want to thin it out.

Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt for saltiness, maple syrup for sweetness, or lemon juice for tanginess.

Optional add-ins and substitutions

• Soy sauce. If you don't have miso paste on hand, you can substitute it with the same amount of soy sauce.
• Fresh garlic. You can substitute garlic powder with the same amount of fresh minced garlic. It will add stronger flavor, and more depth.
• Fresh ginger. If you want more of a kick, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger would be a great addition to this dressing for kale salad.
• Sesame oil. Adding sesame oil to this dressing will give it a more nutty flavor, which we found to be nice. 1-2 tablespoon should be enough.
• Mustard. Either dijon or whole grain mustard can work here. Add 1-2 tsp..
• Lemon zest. Adding 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest will bring freshness and flavor.

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: Transfer sauce to a covered container or a jar with a lid. Store in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
• Freezer: This sauce is best served fresh, but you can still freeze it for up to 1 month.

My Best Tips

• Add more or less water, depending on how thick you want your dressing to be.
• Use high-quality tahini that's runny in texture and not as bitter. This is pretty imporant for a good tasting dressing.
• This dressing for kale salad is pretty versatile and leaves plenty of room for add-ins. You can level it up by adding any of the optional ingredients mentioned above.
• You can enjoy this dressing on any salad! We also love to serve it with spring rolls or roasted vegetables.

Easy Salad Recipes To Try

Sweet Potato Beet Salad

Salad Kabobs Appetizers

Best Potato Salad with Dill

Mediterranean Risoni Salad

📖 Recipe