Over years of food blogging, I’ve discovered that there are definitely different thoughts and opinions when it comes to kale and tofu. It seems to be a love or hate relationship. For me, its absolutely love. I’ve always loved kale salads since discovering the correct way to make it, hint – check out my viral kale parmesan salad with lemony dressing for tips on how to make the *perfect* kale salad. And tofu took a while to love, because we’ve all had that sad, un-crispy tofu that just doesn’t quite do it. Enter these tofu croutons that are SO crispy, it’s magic. I also rely on a popular technique to get the best texture and crispiness, using frozen tofu. You can check out how to prepare it over here. When both are combined in this vegan kale salad with a creamy, spicy dressing, it’s so good and one of my new favourite ways to enjoy tofu and kale.

Ingredients

You may look at the ingredients and think, oh my gosh there are too many. And yes, there are quite a few (more than my typical recipe), but sometimes that’s ok too. Most of the ingredients you probably have on hand.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy vegan kale salad. Feel free to check out my tips and substitutions section for more info.

extra firm tofu
arrowroot flour
tamari
nutritional yeast
kosher salt
avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
raw cashews
lime juice
maple syrup (or coconut sugar)
shallot
serrano pepper
cilantro
pumpkin seeds (raw)
chili powder
kale
red onion
avocado

How to Make This Vegan Kale Salad

There are a few moving parts to making this spicy kale salad, so I’d suggest looking at the recipe ahead and planning how you want to make it.

My suggestion would be to make the tofu first, then the dressing and the pumpkin seeds. Once you’re done with those things, you can prep the salad and assemble.

Make the crispy tofu croutons

Remove the thawed tofu from its package and tear into bite sized pieces. Pat dry with some paper towel and then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the arrowroot, tamari, nutritional yeast and salt to the bowl and toss gently to combine.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and drizzle in the oil. Once hot, add the tofu to the skillet and let it start to brown on all sides, about four to five minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until crispy. Set aside.

Make the dressing

Combine the drained cashews with all other ingredients from the oil to the salt in a high powered blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Make the pumpkin seeds & assemble

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.

Toss the pumpkin seeds with the oil, nutritional yeast, chili powder and salt in a small bowl.

Once the skillet is warm, add the seeds and cook, tossing often, until toasted and starting to pop, about five minutes. Set aside.

Add the kale to a large salad bowl and pour in about half the dressing, toss to combine.

Mix in the onion, tofu and pumpkin seeds and toss again. Add more dressing if needed (it depends on your preference) and serve with avocado. Enjoy!

Tips

Prep ahead: this salad is great for meal prepping. Prep the tofu croutons, wash and dry the kale, toast the pumpkin seeds and make the dressing ahead of time.
Adjust the heat: if you want the dressing less spicy, use a milder pepper such as jalapeño, remove the seeds, or use less.
Freeze your tofu: the texture of frozen tofu is delicious as its chewier and spongier so it absorbs the flavours more. Check out my post all about making frozen tofu and cooking it here. Simply let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then follow my directions.
Finely chop the kale: finely chopping the kale (leaving out the tough stem) is the best way to enjoy raw kale in a salad. You can check out how to do this on my kale parmesan salad recipe over here.
Soak the cashews: soaking the cashews in water is essential for creating a creamy dressing. I recommend soaking for at least a few hours, or in a pinch, soak them in just boiled water for 20 minutes. If you have a high powered blender this works great.
Extra dressing: you will most likely have leftover dressing, as using too much of it will soak the kale and cause it to become overdressed. Keep leftover dressing for more salads or bowls in the fridge for up to five days. It tastes good on anything!

Substitutions

Tamari: I use a reduced sodium tamari, feel free to use soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Arrowroot powder: use cornstarch instead.
Maple syrup: to add a little sweetness to the dressing, you can use maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey (if not vegan).
Cilantro: if you hate cilantro (or don’t have any) you can use parsley instead, or even add some mint as well, this will change the flavour.
Pumpkin seeds: you can use any nut or seed here. The best part is tossing them in a few spices and toasting them to bring out their flavour more.
Kale: you can use either lacinato, otherwise known as Tuscan or dinosaur kale, or curly kale. Preference is given to any heartier green that can hold up to a creamy dressing.
Nutritional yeast: there is no substitute for nutritional yeast as it has a very distinct cheesy flavour. If you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, simply omit it.

More Salad Recipes to Try

If you make this vegan kale salad with crispy tofu croutons, please let me know by tagging me on Instagram, or leave a comment and/or review below!

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