Coconut Sesame Kale Salad
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This coconut sesame kale salad is bright and refreshing with an irresistible crunch! It’s both crispy and raw kale, toasted coconut ribbons, sesame seeds, and juicy mandarin oranges tossed in a simple Asian-inspired dressing. It’s easy to make, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
This coconut sesame kale salad is proof that kale salads don’t have to be boring. It’s packed with texture and bright flavor thanks to crisp kale, juicy mandarins, toasted coconut, sesame seeds, and an Asian-inspired dressing that ties everything together beautifully.
One of my favorite tricks in this salad is using both raw and crispy kale. Half of the kale gets roasted until crisp around the edges, while the rest stays fresh and hearty. It’s a trick I learned years ago when I started making my crispy kale salad. It’s the mix of textures that makes the salad so much more interesting, especially with the crunchy toasted coconut and sesame seeds layered throughout.
The dressing is simple but full of flavor, with toasted sesame oil adding a rich, nutty depth that works perfectly with the sweet mandarins and coconut. Just one thing to know: this salad is best served right after tossing, so the crispy kale and coconut stay nice and crunchy. It’s the kind of salad that feels especially cozy in winter but honestly tastes good any time of year.
How to peel a mandarin segment
When we make this recipe, we simply remove the tough, outer orange peel and pull the segments apart. But if you’re not a fan of the skin that covers each segment, you can remove it. In fact, peeling mandarin oranges might seem tedious, but it’s actually really easy to do. Here’s how to peel a mandarin segment in a few simple steps:
- Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, snip or cut the skin from the inside edge of the segment until you have an opening at the top.
- Gently peel the skin away until it’s completely removed. Repeat with the remaining segments. That’s it!
What to serve with coconut sesame kale salad
This kale sesame salad pairs well with Asian mains like our soy sauce chicken or slow baked Asian salmon and a side of ginger rice.
It also makes a refreshing salad for summer alongside barbecue foods like grilled chicken wings, burgers, or juicy grilled pork chops.
You can also easily turn it into a light meal by adding some protein like chickpeas or leftover shredded chicken!
Sesame Kale Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of kale- divided (stem removed and torn into bite-sized pieces – about 5 packed cups)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut (see notes)
- 2 mandarin oranges (peeled and segmented)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss half of the kale with the sesame oil, using your hands to massage it into the kale. Place it on the baking sheet in a mostly single layer and roast it in the oven for 25 minutes, until the coconut is lightly browned and the kale is crispy.1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 large bunch of kale- divided
- Add the coconut to a small tray and place it in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly browned. You can do this at the same time as the kale.¼ cup unsweetened coconut
- While the kale and coconut are in the oven, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a salad bowl.2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Add the raw kale, mandarin orange segments, and sesame seeds to the bowl and toss with the dressing. When the kale and coconut come out of the oven, add them to the bowl and toss gently.2 mandarin oranges, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
The flavors were great. I was worried about the coconut being a bit weird but it actually worked out nicely. Served this with some asian chicken.