thanksgiving salad

A delicious salad to add some color to your Thanksgiving spread. 

The Perfect Thanksgiving Salad Recipe

My idea of the perfect Thanksgiving feast has nothing to do with traditional dishes—it’s all about the people sitting around the table. Cooking delicious meals for the people I care about is my love language, especially when it comes to hosting around the holidays. A really good salad, with just the right amount of crunch, refreshing greens, and a flavorful dressing (my favorite miso vinaigrette, IYKYK) is a mouthwatering addition to your feast and will make you and your guests feel great. 

Ingredients for The Perfect Thanksgiving Salad

  • 1 bunch lactino kale, destemmed

  • 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

  • 1 very large carrot, grated

  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

  • 3 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1/4" pieces

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds

For the miso vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 lemons, juiced 
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white miso paste
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated with a microplane
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

How to Make The Perfect Thanksgiving Salad

  1. Stack the kale in a pile and roll it up, away from you. Thinly slice it width-wise and then again lengthwise. (The finer you chop it, the more kale you can fit in.) Add the kale to a large bowl.

  2. Add the red cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, and scallions to the bowl. 

  3. Heat a small pan over medium heat and add the pumpkin seeds.

  4. Let cook, tossing occasionally, until the pumpkin seeds start to sound like they're popping and turn brown. 

  5. Carefully pour the hot pumpkin seeds over the salad.

  6. In a large jar, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. 

  7. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly to combine. 

What You’ll Need

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