Creamy Sesame Salad with Honey Roasted Almonds

Creamy Sesame Salad

I love this recipe because it's the perfect weekday salad. It's great for meal prepping, and it just feels really good to eat something this fresh and flavorful.

The creamy tahini dressing is rich and nutty, and it pairs perfectly with all the crunchy elements in the salad. The combination of crisp romaine, cabbage, scallions, and carrots makes every bite really satisfying.

This salad is especially delicious served with sticky teriyaki glazed chicken mixed in, which turns it into a full meal. The sweet, savory chicken with the creamy sesame dressing is such a good combination.

It's also my mom's favorite salad. She always asks me to make it for her, and it's one of those recipes I come back to again and again because it's simple, fresh, and always hits the spot.

Ingredients

Creamy Sesame Dressing

• ⅓ cup tahini

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari (low sodium)

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 pinch flaky sea salt

• Fresh cracked black pepper

Honey Roasted Almond & Sesame Crunch

• 2 cups shaved almonds

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon chunky flaky sea salt

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Salad

• 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce

• 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

• 1 bunch scallions, sliced

• ½ cup shredded carrots

• Optional: one large handful fresh cilantro

⸻

Instructions

Roast the Almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Spread the shaved almonds on the sheet pan.

3. Toss with the avocado oil, honey, and flaky sea salt until evenly coated.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring after 6 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant.

Toast the Sesame Seeds

1. Place the sesame seeds in an oven-safe pan or small baking dish.

2. Place them in the oven alongside the almonds.

3. Toast for 20-25 minutes total, checking occasionally until lightly golden.

Make the Dressing

In a small bowl whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, flaky sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper until smooth and creamy.

Assemble the Salad

1. In a large bowl combine the romaine lettuce, red cabbage, scallions, shredded carrots, and cilantro if using.

2. Toss the portion of salad you want with the sesame ginger dressing in a mixing bowl.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl.

4. Drizzle a little extra dressing over the top.

5. Finish with the honey roasted almonds and toasted sesame seeds.

⸻

Notes

I like to toss only the portion of salad I'm serving with dressing rather than dressing the entire bowl. This keeps the lettuce crisp and prevents it from getting soggy if you have leftovers.