Our Sunflower Crunch Salad is chock full of crunchy veggies that have been tossed in our creamy sunflower dressing that you will fall in love with. The perfect make-ahead salad to serve to large crowds.
This is the perfect salad to make when you are entertaining large groups as it is easily put together using your food processor. It can be made well in advance leaving you more time to spend with your guests.
Let's Talk Ingredients and Substitutions
- Kale is used for the base in this salad which can be replaced by any sturdy leafy greens try silverbeet, chard or spinach instead.
- White cabbage for additional bulk and crunch, try some liquorice tasting fennel instead for an added flavour boost.
- Red cabbage an added vegetable used for its bright crimson colour you can leave it out and just add more white cabbage or try some bitter radicchio.
- Carrots for colour and to boost nutritional profile in this salad.
- Sunflower seeds for delightful crunch and to also boost the satiety of this salad.
- Creamy sunflower seed dressing for its creamy nuttiness. If you are in a hurry try a nut butter with some added lemon juice and zest.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Roast Your Seeds
Preheat your oven to 180F (360C) once hot add your sunflower seeds in an oven tray.
Roast for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, then allow to cool.
Step 2 - Shred Ingredients
Wash your kale under cold running water and strip leaves from stems, then shred finely.
Place in mixing bowl add some sea salt and olive oil and massage till soft.
Wash your cabbages well, remove the core and the outer damaged leaves.
Then either shred by hand, with a mandoline slicer or for super-fast salad making use the slicing attachment in your food processor.
Wash, trim and peel your carrots and coarsely grate with either a box grater or with the grating attachment in your food processor.
Step 3 - Blitz Dressing
Place the cooled, roasted sunflower seeds into a high-speed blender and blitz to a powder.
Add remaining ingredients, and season with some sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Blitz until smooth and creamy. It should be the consistency of mayonnaise if it is too thick just add some more water to loosen.
Taste and adjust seasonings according to your liking.
Step 4 - Assemble Salad
Add all of your ingredients to the large bowl with the kale.
Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper, pour over the dressing.
Toss well until the vegetables are well coated with the dressing, you may need to add some additional water or olive oil to loosen if your dressing is too thick.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking, arrange in a salad bowl and keep chilled in your fridge until you are ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions 🍽
This is another salad that you can easily serve on any occasion such as barbecues, pot lucks, family dinners or parties.
Partners with just about everything from grilled meats, roasts, stews or tagines.
Try it with Italian Meatballs or with some Pepper Steak.
Tips and Questions
Can I Make It Ahead?
- The dressing can be made 4-5 days in advance and kept in a sealed container in your fridge it may gel and thicken but all you need to do is add some water to loosen it.
- The salad can be made-up the day before and kept covered in your fridge. Just add the dressing before serving which can be done 3-4 hours in advance.
Can I Meal-Prep Sunflower Crunch Salad?
Yes this is an excellent salad to meal prep for weekday lunches!
- Make the salad and portion it into individual containers.
- For some additional protein try some grilled chicken, flaked salmon, meatballs, kofta or falafel for vegetarian.
What About the Leftovers?
- A great salad to make and enjoy throughout the week as it lasts and lasts. In fact, it will be even more delicious the day after you make it!
- Also amazing to use as a filling for sandwiches and wraps.
Some More Cabbage Salads to Try:
Recipe Card
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Bullet or High Speed Blender or Small Food Processor
Ingredients
- ½ sml bunch kale (3 cups shredded)
- ¼ head white cabbage (4 cups shredded)
- 1 sml wedge red cabbage (2 cups shredded)
- 2 medium carrots (1 cup grated)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds toasted
- 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove minced 
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180F (360C) for 15 minutes or until golden brown and allow to cool.
- Place your sunflower seeds on an oven tray, place in the middle of your oven and roast until golden (approximately 10-15 minutes) then allow to cool.
- Wash your kale under cold running water and strip leaves from stems, then shred finely. Place in mixing bowl add some sea salt and olive oil and massage till soft.
- Wash your cabbages well, remove the core and the outer damaged leaves. Then either shred by hand, with a mandoline slicer or for super-fast salad making use the slicing attachment in your food processor.
- Wash, trim and peel your carrots and coarsely grate with either a box grater or with the grating attachment in your food processor.
- Place your sunflower seeds in a high-speed blender and blitz into a powder. Add remaining dressing ingredients, season and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Your dressing should be the consistency of mayonnaise if it is too thick just add some more water to loosen. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your liking.
- Add all of your ingredients to the large bowl with the kale, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper, pour over the dressing. Toss well until the vegetables are all well coated with the dressing, you may need to add some additional water or olive oil to loosen if your dressing is too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking, arrange in a salad bowl and keep chilled in your fridge until you are ready to serve.
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