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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Kale Slaw With Harissa Dressing

    Posted: May 10, 2019 by Lori Modified: May 11, 2019 · This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Kale slaw pin for pinterest

    overhead shot of kale slaw on plates

    This flavorful Kale Slaw with Harissa Dressing is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and made with 10 healthy ingredients. Crunchy cabbage, soft and sweet dried apricots, and spicy harissa make one seriously delicious team! This slaw takes just 20 minutes to prepare and tastes even better after it sits, making it great for parties and meal prep.

    overhead shot of slaw on white plates

    Harissa - dried seasoning blend vs. paste

    Have you cooked with harissa yet? It's a popular condiment and seasoning in Tunisian cuisine (usually in paste form) made from peppers and a few herbs and spices. It has a unique smoky and spicy kick that's great on everything from marinated tofu to roasted veggies. Harissa has become more popular in the States in the past few years but is probably still new to most people. For today's kale slaw recipe, we're using a dried harissa blend instead of paste, but if store-bought harissa paste is what you have on hand you can use that, too. And if you can't find either form of harissa in your favorite store, there are many recipes online to help you make this seasoning blend from scratch.

    Harissa paste contains oil, so if you follow an oil-free diet you'll want to look for the dried blend or make it yourself from dried chiles and spices. I like Frontier's harissa (pictured below), which I found at the grocery store, but you can also buy it on Amazon for less than $4. 

    ingredients for kale slaw with harissa dressing

    Ingredients in Harissa Dressing

    Harissa's unique flavors pair perfectly with fresh lemon and garlic, earthy tahini, and a hint of sweetness from maple syrup. These are pretty standard ingredients for a lot of vegan salad dressings, and for good reason. They're delicious together! (I also use them in my Carrot Raisin Salad which gets a little kick from sriracha.) So when I first mixed these ingredients with a hefty amount of dried harissa and gave it a taste, I really wasn't surprised how well it worked! I immediately made a second batch of dressing, which was easy since it only takes about two minutes to stir everything together in a bowl. One taste, and I started daydreaming about dipping baked potato wedges in it, slathering it on tofu and tempeh, and drizzling it on grain bowls. Trust me, if you like a little spiciness, you're going to LOVE this harissa dressing. I'm hooked.

    creamy harissa dressing on a spoon and slaw on plates

    Ways to customize this Kale Slaw

    Vegetables:
    Part of the beauty of this slaw is in its variety of colors, but don't feel like you HAVE to use each and every veggie listed. For example, let's say you're in the mood for this tasty, crunchy, harissa slaw but you go to the store and the dino kale looks sad, or maybe they don't have any at all. Feel free to substitute curly kale or go with all cabbage. Or let's say you have a carrot allergy (yep, I have a friend who does), you can simply skip the carrots or replace them with colorful, thinly sliced orange, yellow or red peppers. Jicama would also be a great addition. 

    Dried apricots:
    The flavor of dried apricots is particularly delicious with harissa, but you could also try golden raisins or omit the fruit altogether if you're not in the mood for that extra bit of sweetness. 

    Pumpkin seeds:
    Pumpkin seeds add color, crunch, and nutrition but can be omitted or switched out for other nuts or seeds. Other options: pistachios, cashews, or hemp, sesame, or sunflower seeds.

    preparing slaw in a large bowl

    You can make Kale Slaw With Harissa Dressing in advance

    One of the great things about slaw, as opposed to salads, is that you can dress them in advance and not worry about your greens getting soggy or wilted. In fact, this slaw tastes best after it's had at least an hour or two to hang out in the fridge. I like making slaw on Sunday afternoon, enjoying some with dinner, and then having plenty leftover to enjoy for lunch on Monday and Tuesday. And since it's quick to prepare, travels in one bowl, and doesn't call for ingredients that require refrigeration (like traditional mayo) this kale slaw recipe is perfect for parties and outdoor cookouts!

    kale slaw on small plates

    I hope you try this healthy Kale Slaw With Harissa Dressing and find yourself hooked just like I am! With so much flavor and nutrition in one beautiful package, you can't go wrong. Enjoy! 

    overhead shot of kale slaw on plates

    Kale Slaw With Harissa Dressing

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Nutritious, sweet and spicy vegan slaw made with kale, cabbage, dried apricots, and a creamy harissa dressing. Just 10 ingredients and 20 minutes to prepare.
    Servings: 8 servings
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 20 mins
    Cook Time: 0 mins
    Chill time: 1 hr
    Total Time: 20 mins

    Ingredients 

    For the dressing:

    • ¼ cup tahini
    • 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp maple syrup
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 1 large clove garlic, minced
    • 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp dried harissa seasoning blend
    • 2 to 3 Tbsp water, for consistency
    • 1 ¼ tsp fine sea salt

    For the slaw:

    • 1 small bunch lacinato kale, cut into ribbons
    • 6 cups shredded green and/or red cabbage (I used ½ small head red cabbage and ½ small head green cabbage)
    • 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
    • 15 dried apricots, unsulphured, chopped
    • ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds, optional
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    Instructions
     

    • Combine the tahini, maple, and lemon juice in a bowl, and whisk with a fork until smooth. Add the garlic, harissa, 1 Tbsp water, and salt, and whisk again. For a thinner consistency add another tablespoon of water. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl combine the kale, cabbage, carrot, and apricots. Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture and stir to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and toss.

    Notes

    Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 480mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 7300IUVitamin C: 90.8mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 2.2mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.

     

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    Comments

    1. Linda

      May 16, 2019 at 12:54 pm

      The dressing is delicious. We are enjoying it on EVERYTHING! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 16, 2019 at 12:58 pm

        Thanks, Linda! I’m so glad you like it.

        Reply
    2. Phil

      May 10, 2019 at 2:22 pm

      How is this oil free when it contains tahini?

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 10, 2019 at 2:29 pm

        Hi Phil,
        Tahini is considered a "whole food" as it's made from grinding sesame seeds into butter. When tahini is stored, the oil often separates, just like it does in almond or peanut butter. You can discard some of the separated oil if you like, or stir it back into the tahini. But this is different from "added oils," as this oil is the fat that naturally occurs in the whole seeds. Hopefully this helps. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

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