This crunchy fall salad is so good. Easy Kale Pear Salad with Tahini Dressing is a light vegetarian side dish packed with flavor and crunch. It’s easy to make ahead for a holiday appetizer. And it makes a tasty power-through-the-day lunch salad, too. Let’s make it.
Why this pear kale salad with tahini dressing is so good
- Stays good for days in the fridge, without dressing.
- Gluten free, keto-friendly, and vitamin rich.
- A fun splash of color on any plate.
- A great accompaniment to nice Sunday night dinners.
- Includes a video for beginners (scroll to bottom of page for full step-by-step YouTube video).
Hey fellow feta lovers: check out this tasty make-ahead Greek pasta salad.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this healthy Fall salad.
Kale pear salad base ingredients
- Raw kale (I like red leaf curly)
- Walnuts
- Pears that are very ripe and ready to eat – either red or green (Asian pears are a good choice)
- Dried cranberries
- Feta cheese crumbles
- A little fresh cracked pepper
Tahini dressing ingredients
- Greek yogurt (plain, whole milk)
- Tahini
- Honey
- Apple cider vinegar (substitute red wine or champagne vinegar)
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Salt
- Fresh chopped parsley
Other toppings for kale salad
- Blue cheese
- Pomegranate seeds
- Roasted sweet potato or yams tossed in a little olive oil and maple syrup
- Diced avocado
- Sunflower seeds
- See this kale apple slaw recipe for more ideas
How to make pear and kale salad with tahini dressing
Here’s an overview of how to pull together this tasty recipe…
- Prep kale by washing it, cutting out (and discarding) the stems from the center, and drying it in a salad spinner. Dice kale in bite sized pieces. Then massage the kale for 1 minute with your hands on a cutting board or in a salad bowl to soften it.
- Toast walnuts by adding them to a small skillet on the stove (without oil or butter) on medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the Tahini dressing. In a large bowl, add the Greek yogurt, tahini, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water, salt, and fresh chopped parsley. Whisk to combine. Taste test to see if you want to add more salt, or vinegar. If it’s too thick, add a little water (1 tsp at a time) until it’s just right for you. If you like lighter dressed salads, transfer half the salad dressing to a small bowl, and add it in later as desired.
- Assemble kale salad with toppings. Add kale to a large bowl with tahini dressing. Coat kale in dressing with a spatula or spoon. Transfer dressed kale to a serving platter. Add diced pear, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and a sprinkle of feta cheese crumbles. Serve and enjoy.
I love a kale salad recipe with nuts like this one when I need a protein boost in the middle of the day. Fueling up with feel good foods helps me stay alert, focused, and functioning optimal for the whole day of recipe video editing and writing.
Make it a complete meal with a main dish like this pan grilled chicken or smoked turkey breast.
FAQs
Yes – you have to soften the leaves a bit before adding raw kale to salad. But I have a really quick, one minute way to massage it that will break down the kale leaves and make it easy to eat. See the recipe for details.
Asian pears—either red or green– are delicious in this salad. The best pears for pear salad are ripe, but not over-ripe. As a pear ripens, it softens from the stem side out—so test in two places; the neck (near the stem) and the rounded body. The best pears will have a little give in the narrow stem, and none in the larger rounded body.
Yes, most people would consider tahini good for you! It’s made by grinding sesame seeds, either roasted or raw. Tahini is rich in omega fatty acids, and it contains more protein than milk. It also contains significant quantities of calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B. This kale tahini salad is bursting with nutrition our bodies crave.
This fall kale salad is best on day 1, but leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. If you are entertaining a dinner party or holiday meal and would like to prepare ahead, consider prepping your tahini dressing and ingredients in the morning, but leaving that last mix-ins to add just before serving.
Yes, if you don’t have pears, apples can be a good substitute! Other options for this fall kale salad include orange, tangerines, or even grapefruit segments.
This gourmet kale pear salad with tahini dressing is delicious served alongside a sous vide steak dinner, and is a favorite side to bring to holiday potlucks. The cheerful colors and zesty flavor also pair well with air fryer turkey breast, roasted bone-in turkey breast, and smoked whole chicken dinners.
Yes! This kale pear salad with tahini dressing is gluten free.
Yes – try something creamy like a buttermilk or ranch. I like to skip the pre-made dressings and make my own with 100% healthy, fresh ingredients—pure Greek yogurt, lemon juice and tahini made of roasted, ground sesame seeds come together to make a creamy, delicious sauce. But substitutions are welcomed!
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Side dish ideas
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Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about making your kale pear salad recipe. Serve it with something like this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup or smoked turkey breast.
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Kale Pear Salad with Tahini Dressing Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Equipment
- spatula
- mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
Kale pear salad base ingredients
- 1 bunch kale red leaf curly
- ¼ cup walnuts whole or pieces
- 2 pears diced in large chunks, red or green
- 2 tbsp cranberries dried
- 2 tbsp feta cheese crumbles
- ⅛ tsp pepper fresh cracked
Tahini dressing ingredients
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt plain, whole milk
- 1.5 tbsp tahini
- ½ tbsp honey
- ½ tbsp vinegar apple cider (substitute red wine or champagne vinegar)
- ½ medium lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh chopped
Instructions
- Prep kale by washing it, cutting out (and discarding) the stems from the center, and drying it in a salad spinner. Dice kale in bite sized pieces. Then massage the kale for 1 minute with your hands on a cutting board or in a salad bowl to soften it.
- Toast walnuts by adding them to a small skillet on the stove (without oil or butter) on medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the Tahini dressing. In a large bowl, add the Greek yogurt, tahini, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water, salt, and fresh chopped parsley. Whisk to combine. Taste test to see if you want to add more salt, or vinegar. If it’s too thick, add a little water (1 tsp at a time) until it’s just right for you. If you like lighter dressed salads, transfer half the salad dressing to a small bowl, and add it in later as desired.
- Assemble kale pear salad with toppings. Toss greens in tahini dressing. I like to use a spatula to scrape the dressing from the sides of the bowl and evenly coat the kale. Transfer to a serving platter. Add diced pear, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and a sprinkle of feta cheese crumbles.
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