Name: Sunflower Crunch Salad with Creamy Sunflower Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
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 tbsp lemon zest; 1 garlic clove (minced ); Sea salt and cracked black pepper

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Gluten Free Dairy Free Low Carb Vegetarian

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.

SUNFLOWER CRUNCH SALAD IN BLACK BOWL WITH SERVING SPOONS AND MINT GREEN SERVIETT ON THE SIDE

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.

Some Serving Ideas

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.

Let’s Talk Ingredients & 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.

You Will Need:

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR SUNFLOWER CRUNCH SALAD

How to make it

1ROAST SEEDS
Preheat your oven to 180F (360C) once hot add your sunflower seeds in an oven tray and roast for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, then allow to cool.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS ON OVEN TRAY — PLACE SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN TRAY

GOLDEN ROASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN OVEN TRAY — PLACE SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN TRAY

2SHRED 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.

Cutting kale with knife on a chopping board — CUT THE KALE

2BLITZ DRESSING
Place the cooled, roasted sunflower seeds into a high-speed blender and blitz to a powder.
Add remaining ingredients, season and 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.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN BLENDER WITH LEMON ON THE SIDE — ADD SEEDS TO BLENDER

SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN BLENDER BLITZED TO A POWDER WITH LEMON ON THE SIDE — ADD SEEDS TO BLENDER

3ASSEMBLE 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.

SUNFLOWER CRUNCH SALAD INGREDIENTS IN SALAD BOWL WITH DRESSING ON THE SIDE — ADD INGREDIENTS TO BOWL

POURING OVER DRESSING FOR SUNFLOWER CRUNCH SALAD — ADD INGREDIENTS TO BOWL

Can I make it ahead and Meal Prep

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.
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: