This healthy kale and spinach salad is both nutritious and delicious! It just might be my favorite salad right now! The creamy miso tahini dressing is similar to caesar dressing and adds rich and creamy flavor to this dark leafy green salad. Crunchy breadcrumbs and salty parmesan cheese are the perfect topping.
To make this kale and spinach salad, kale leaves are cut into thin ribbons and tossed with baby spinach and creamy miso tahini dressing (you can also tear the kale into-bite sized pieces.)
The flavor of this salad is similar to a kale caesar, especially when you sprinkle breadcrumbs (or croutons) and parmesan cheese on top!
If you want to add protein, both salmon and chicken breast taste really good with this salad and dressing. You can also add grains like quinoa or barley. The easiest way to cook grains is in your Instant Pot - try these recipes for Instant Pot quinoa and Instant Pot barley.
Looking for more kale salad recipes? Try shredded kale coleslaw with apples or kale salad with creamy poppyseed dressing.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Kale: I prefer lacinato (Tuscan) kale for this recipe. However, you can also use curly kale. The kale can be sliced thinly or torn into-bite sized pieces. Instead of kale, you can substitute raw Swiss chard.
Spinach: Buy a bag of washed baby spinach - it's ready to go, really flavorful and easy to stab with a fork. In place of spinach you can substitute arugula.
Miso paste: For this recipe use either yellow miso paste or white miso paste, which are milder and a little less salty than red miso.
Tahini: This is an essential ingredient for the salad dressing. Don't worry, even a large jar will stay fresh for a long time. According to Soom Foods, tahini can last for a year after opening if it's kept in a cool, dark pantry.
Mustard and Lemon: These two ingredients add flavor to the salad dressing. You can substitute Dijon mustard for stone ground. If absolutely necessary, you can substitute apple cider vinegar for lemon juice. Start by adding only 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then taste the dressing before adding more.
Honey: Adding honey to the dressing is optional - taste the dressing first then decide if you want to add a hint of sweetness. If kale is a green that tastes bitter to you, then you'll love the sweetness that honey brings to the salad.
Looking for a vegan recipe for miso tahini dressing? Just leave out the honey or use agave instead.
Cheese and Panko: Grated cheese and toasted panko breadcrumbs add flavor and texture to the salad, but are optional. You can substitute crunchy nuts (try toasted almonds or walnuts) or croutons for the panko. You can substitute cubed or grated cheddar (sharp white cheddar is especially good!) for the parmesan. Or, leave out the cheese to make a vegan kale and spinach salad.
How to Make Kale and Spinach Salad (Step-by-Step Instructions)
For detailed instructions & ingredient amounts, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1: Tear or cut the kale leaves from the stems. Stack the kale leaves in a pile and roll them up like a cigar. Slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
Step 2: In a saute pan, mix together olive oil and panko. Sprinkle salt over the panko. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the panko is nicely toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: To make the miso tahini dressing, whisk together miso, lemon juice, tahini, water, mustard and honey until smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil until the dressing is smooth and thick. If the dressing seems too thick, add another tablespoon of water.
Step 4: In a large salad bowl, toss the kale and spinach with the miso tahini dressing. Top with crunchy panko and grated parmesan.
More Ways to Use Homemade Miso Tahini Dressing
I love this dressing and I think you will too! I use tahini miso dressing as a substitute for caesar dressing and I also pour it over roasted vegetables and other types of greens.
Broccoli: This miso tahini dressing is fantastic over broccoli, either raw or roasted. In fact, you can make a broccoli salad by tossing broccoli (raw or roasted) with the dressing, plus breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
Roasted sweet potatoes: The sweet flavor of the potatoes is balanced with the tangy, salty flavor of miso tahihi dressing.
Recipe Tip
The combination of kale, spinach and miso tahini dressing is really flavorful and also really versatile. There are lots of additional ingredients you can add to enhance the flavor of this salad, including chicken breast, salmon, avocado, quinoa, nuts, dried cranberries or dried cherries.
Recipe FAQ
Kale is a sturdy green that keeps well for several days, even if it's tossed with dressing. Spinach is softer, but holds up reasonably well for a day or two. The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container for up to two days. If you want to store the salad longer (up to 4 days) then keep the greens and dressing separate, and toss the salad right before eating.
Miso is a fermented soybean paste. The color and flavor of miso depends on where it’s made and the fermentation process. Red miso paste has a darker reddish color and has a stronger flavor than white or yellow miso. White and yellow miso are more similar and interchangeable and have a sweeter, milder flavor. You can store miso in an airtight container in the refrigerator indefinitely. It can be found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores.
Yes! I love using yellow miso paste to boost the flavor of food. You can try miso mushroom pasta, miso butter salmon , miso butter sweet potatoes and Instant Pot mushroom barley soup.
Tahini is made from hulled white sesame seeds that have been ground into a smooth, creamy consistency. It has a nutty and slightly bitter flavor. The texture is similar to a runny nut butter.
Yes, both kale and spinach have a firm texture that won't turn limp and soggy quickly. You can toss this salad in the morning and it will still be fresh and crunchy for lunch. If you want to meal prep for several days, I recommend keeping the dressing and toasted breadcrumbs separate from the greens.
More Salad Recipes
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Kale and Spinach Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing
This kale and spinach salad is both nutritious and delicious! The creamy miso tahini dressing is similar to caesar dressing and adds rich and creamy flavor. Crunchy breadcrumbs and salty parmesan cheese are the perfect topping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salads
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale (also called Lacinto kale)
- 3 ounces baby spinach (half a bag)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano (optional)
Miso Tahini Dressing
- 1 tablespoon yellow miso
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons water (add more if needed)
- 2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey - optional
- ¼ cup sunflower oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
Instructions
- Tear or cut the kale leaves from the stems. Stack the kale leaves in a pile and roll them up like a cigar. Slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
- Combine kale and spinach in a large salad bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the miso, lemon juice, tahini, water, mustard and honey until smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil until the dressing is smooth and thick. If the dressing seems too thick, add another tablespoon of water.
- In a saute pan, mix together the olive oil and panko. Sprinkle salt over the panko. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the panko is nicely toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Most of the browning will happen in the last minute.
- Toss the kale and spinach salad with the dressing. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs and grated cheese over the top.
Notes
There are many additional ingredients you can add to this salad, including chicken breast, salmon, avocado, quinoa, nuts, dried cranberries or dried cherries.
This salad holds up pretty well if made ahead of time. The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container for up to two days. If you want to store the salad longer (up to 4 days) then keep the greens and dressing separate, and toss the salad right before eating.
If the dressing is kept separate in a jar in the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for up to 5 days. The consistency will thicken in the refrigerator. You can whisk in a little bit of water to loosen the dressing and make it more pourable.
Adding honey to the dressing is optional - taste the dressing first then decide if you want to add a hint of sweetness.
Miso paste can be found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. You can store miso in an airtight container in the refrigerator indefinitely.
An opened jar of tahini can stay fresh for a year in a cool, dark pantry.
football bros says
This recipe is amazing! The miso tahini dressing is creamy and flavorful, just like a caesar but healthier. The toasted panko and parmesan on top add the perfect crunch and saltiness. I love how versatile it is too – cant wait to try it with roasted broccoli next! Definitely a keeper!
Jenny Meier says
I'm so glad you like it!
Jen says
When you want a healthy salad and you want satisfying flavor and a creamy dressing, this is the salad for you!