kale quinoa salad with oranges

This kale quinoa salad is bright, refreshing and much needed in the dead of winter. It's packed with quinoa, juicy oranges, toasty hazelnuts and a super creamy and fresh lemon tahini dressing.

It's surprisingly filling with the hearty greens, grains and nuts. And it's one of my favorite ways to balance the weeks of gingerbread, cinnamon rolls and rich roasted meats of the holiday season.

Honestly, the best part of this whole recipe is the lemon tahini dressing. It’s so creamy, zesty and simple. I love how it highlights the nuttiness of quinoa and tames kale’s bitter edge-- and when it’s combined with juicy oranges? So, so delicious.

If you’re sensitive to bitter greens, read on to learn a few ways to manage kale’s bitterness so you can truly love kale salads once and for all!

quinoa kale salad ingredients:

how to make kale quinoa salad:

1. Make lemon tahini dressing.
2. Cook the quinoa; let cool.
3. Slice kale into ribbons and massage with salt.
4. Toss kale and quinoa with half the dressing; transfer to platter.
5. Top with orange segments and chopped hazelnuts.
6. Serve, passing extra dressing on the side.

how to prepare quinoa for kale salad:

I don’t know about you, but I used to really struggle with quinoa. It was either soggy and waterlogged, or still crunchy. Until I learned a fantastic technique from Cook’s Illustrated. 

We deeply toast the quinoa in a dry pot, then add a smaller amount of water than you’re probably used to. And then the craziest part: we stir once while cooking. This approach produces perfectly fluffy and nutty quinoa that’s ideal for salads. 

See the recipe below for more details!

Love quinoa salads? Try out southwest quinoa salad recipe!

what meats go with kale quinoa salad?

I love to serve this kale and quinoa salad with grilled and sliced chicken. It’s simple and really makes this salad a complete meal. 

It’s also great with a crusty grilled steak, buttery lemon shrimp, or citrus-glazed salmon. Pick your favorite meat, add an element of citrus to mirror the tahini lemon dressing and oranges, and you can’t go wrong!

how do you make kale less bitter for salad?

The best way to remove some of the bitterness in kale is to massage it with salt, then pair it with an acidic ingredient to balance out the bitter flavor. 

The salt massage will soften the texture of the kale and pull out some of the bitter compounds. If you’re really sensitive to bitterness, rinse the kale and spin it dry after you’ve massaged it with salt. This will wash away even more of that unpleasant bitterness.

Acid (and fat) will lessen the perception of bitterness. That’s why I especially love the oranges, nuts, and creamy tahini dressing here! The acidity and fat soften the kale.

Finally, if you’re just super sensitive to bitterness, my best advice is this: don’t eat raw kale. Try it sautéed, where you can blanch it and incorporate cream, olive oil, or cheese to mellow the flavor.

how do you segment oranges for salad?

1. Cut the top and bottom off the orange.
2. Stand the orange on one flat end, then use a chef’s knife to cut the peel and pith away from the fruit, following the curve of the orange.
3. Hold the orange over a bowl to collect juice, then slice both sides of the orange segment to release it from the membranes. Remove segment and repeat until all of the orange segments have been cut out.

how long will this quinoa kale salad last?

This quinoa kale salad will last for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. The sturdiness of both the kale and quinoa help the salad stand up to the dressing for several days.

If you prefer it fresh and less marinated, you can also prepare all of the ingredients a day ahead of time and combine them with the dressing when you’re ready to eat.

how long will the lemon tahini dressing last?

The lemon tahini dressing will keep up to 1 week, refrigerated in an airtight container.

more kale salads to try!

tuscan kale salad

kale apple salad

kale caesar salad

kale breakfast salad

warm kale salad with raisins

kale slaw with apples

kale sweet potato salad

kale and brussels sprout salad

Print