This vegan kale slaw recipe is made with a simple and delicious sesame ginger dressing. Along with red cabbage and carrots, this salad is beautifully colorful and packed with flavor and nutrition!
Sign up for the Veg Out newsletter to get vegan recipes and nutrition content from a Registered Dietitian!
This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon Associates) and I earn from qualifying purchases.
Meal Prepping Kale Slaw
Kale slaw is ideal for meal prep because kale is a tough leafy green that can withhold sitting in a salad dressing without going soggy. This means you can prep the full slaw recipe at the start of the week and enjoy for days!
With most leafy greens, you have to keep the dressing separate until serving. Kale however, often tastes better after marinating in sauce overnight, or even a few days. It also becomes softer and easier to chew after marinating.
Cabbage and carrots are also hearty vegetables that can withstand marinating in the delicious sesame ginger dressing!
This recipe is only made up of vegetables and is quite low in protein and carbohydrates. For a well-balanced meal, add a source of protein and carbs. I always make marinated baked tofu (or some type of tofu) to serve with this delicious Asian kale slaw! Some stemmed sweet potato is a great addition for a balanced vegan meal.
How to Prepare Kale for Slaw
I’ll admit kale isn’t my favourite vegetable. It’s quite chewy and tough when raw so it’s incredibly important to prep raw kale the right way for an enjoyable meal.
So, how do we prep kale so it’s easier to chew and more enjoyable when raw? There are two important steps:
- Slice the kale leaves thinly.
- Massage the kale.
Slicing kale thinly is needed for a slaw recipe like this, but it’s also how I serve any raw kale. Smaller pieces make chewing easier.
Massaging kale is also a standard practice as it helps break down some of the fibres that make kale so tough. You’ll notice as you massage kale that the leaves go from dull green to bright, shiny-looking green. The leaves should also feel softer when you’re done.
Create a Gluten Free Meal
This Asian kale slaw calls for both tamari and soy sauce. While these two ingredients are often interchangeable, they do offer different flavors.
However, if you’re gluten free, it’s easy enough to switch out the soy sauce for additional gluten free tamari.
The rest of this recipe is naturally gluten free, so enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this beautiful and nutritious vegan kale slaw recipe. If you share your creation on social media, be sure to tag me @lettucevegout so I can see it!
Vegan Kale Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Box grater
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Ingredients
Slaw:
- 1 kale bunch (about 7-8 cups chopped leaves)
- 2 carrots large (about 1 1/2 C, shredded)
- 1/4 red cabbage (about 1 1/2 C, finely sliced/ shredded)
- 1/3 C green onion chopped
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 tbsp ginger finely minced (fresh)
- Sesame seeds to serve
Instructions
- Remove the kale’s stems, wash leaves, and tear (or chop) into bite-sized pieces. Place into a large bowl and massage the leaves until they turn a bright, vibrant green.
- Shred carrots and cabbage. Chop green onion and toss the green onion, carrot and cabbage with kale.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients (except the sesame seeds) together to create the dressing and toss with the salad. Shaking the sauce together in a jar is a simple way to do this.
- If possible, let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two before serving.
- Top with sesame seeds and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Join the Community for Vegan Recipes
This is an update post: Original post date September 2016.
Leave a Reply