Creamy Vegan Kale & Edamame Asian Salad

Name: Creamy Vegan Kale & Edamame Asian Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond, or cashew butter); 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari (or soy sauce*); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons lime juice ((about 1 lime)); 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil ((optional)); 1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tablespoon grated ginger; 4 cups chopped kale (lacinato or curly, destemmed, leaves only); 1 cup shelled edamame (thawed); 1/2 cup slivered almonds (or sliced); 1 large avocado (chopped); 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (or hemp hearts)

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This Asian-Inspired Creamy Vegan Kale & Edamame Salad takes less than 15 minutes to make. It is oil-free, gluten-free, and high in protein, iron, and heart healthy fats. Make this dish ahead of time for convenience.

Chopped kale, avocado chunks, slivered almonds, and hemps seeds in a large bamboo bowl, topped with creamy peanut dressing. — Edamame and almonds add a delicious crunch, and pair delectably with the creamy peanut dressing.

This kale salad is anything but boring. It is full of texture and flavor, and is a satisfying meal all by itself. Prep this recipe the night before and pack it for lunch!

This dish was inspired by my Protein-Packed Quinoa & Kale Salad, as well as this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad on this site.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
📖 Instructions
🥜 Substitutions
⏱ Storage
💡 Top tip
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Edamame in a white colander, a bunch of kale, hemp seeds in a small white bowl, one avocado, and slivered almonds in a small white bowl. Labeled text. On a white marble tile. — Salad ingredients for Creamy Vegan Kale & Edamame Salad.

See recipe card for quantities.

Kale is a nutrition superstar, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Plus, it holds up to creamy dressings much better than its leafy counterparts without becoming soggy.
Edamame are immature soybeans, harvested before they ripen. They come shelled, in the pod, fresh or frozen. Use frozen shelled edamame for this salad for minimal prep. Thaw in a sieve under running water, or defrost in a microwave for a few minutes.
Hemp seeds/hearts are exceptionally rich in omega-3 and -6. They have a mild nutty flavor that complements the peanut sauce. However, they can be pricey so feel free to substitute with sunflower seeds, or omit entirely.
Slivered or sliced almonds are a convenient way to add protein, iron, and good fats to a salad. For a more economical option, buy whole raw almonds (or peanuts) and chop them yourself.

Peanut butter in a white bowl, one lime, one head garlic, one piece of ginger, rice vinegar in a glass bowl, sriracha is a white bowl, maple syrup in a glass bowl, tamari in a glass bowl, and water in a glass bowl. On a white marble tile. — Budget-friendly ingredients for the creamy Peanut Dressing.

See recipe card for quantities.

To make this Asian-inspired dressing gluten-free, use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos.

📖 Instructions

Mix the ingredients for the creamy vegan peanut dressing in a medium bowl until fully incorporated.

Creamy peanut dressing in a glass jar, next to one lime, and a piece of ginger, on a white marble tile. — This creamy peanut dressing is very versatile. Add it to more of your favorite salads.

Place the chopped kale leaves into a large bowl. Add one third of the dressing.

Chopped kale with creamy vegan peanut dressing. — Massage the kale with the peanut dressing until it is just wilted.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the kale.

Kale, avocado chunks, edamame, and slivered almonds in a bamboo bowl, tossed with creamy vegan peanut dressing, with a pair of serving tongs. — Add the desired amount of peanut dressing. Refrigerate any remaining for later use.

Toss the salad, generously coating all the ingredients with the creamy dressing.

If you plan on refrigerating the salad for later use, do not add the avocado. Refrigerate it in an airtight container. Chop and add the avocado for serving.

🥜 Substitutions

Peanut butter - instead of peanut butter, use almond, or cashew butter
Almonds - use chopped nuts of your choice (peanuts, pecans, walnuts)
Hemp hearts/seeds - substitute with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or omit entirely
Toasted sesame oil - omit for oil-free

For more vegan protein-packed salads, visit my Salad Recipes page. This Easy Broccoli Salad With Oil-Free Tahini Dressing is one of my favorites.

⏱ Storage

Kale leaves stay fresh without wilting much longer than lettuce. This is why you can prep this creamy kale and edamame salad ahead of time. If you do not plan on eating it right away, hold off on adding the avocado. Refrigerate the salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Chop and add the avocado for serving.

These ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.

💡 Top tip

Massage the kale leaves with some of the dressing before adding the remaining ingredients. This tenderizes the leaves, and helps the kale absorb more flavor.

Can I use lacinato or curly kale for this recipe?

Curly, dinosaur, and lacinato kale are all suitable. Be sure to destem the kale before chopping the leaves.

How do you finely grate ginger?

Grated ginger adds tons of flavor to dressings and sauces. Store a knob of ginger wrapped in plastic in the freezer. When you need grated ginger, remove it from the freezer, peel away the skin with a teaspoon or knife from the area you want to grate, and grate it using a microplane.

How do you make this kale salad gluten-free?

Use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for gluten-free. To be certain, please read the nutrition labels of condiments.

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