Rainbow Salad with Tahini Dressing (Printable)

Colorful mix of fresh vegetables tossed with creamy tahini dressing for a light, vibrant dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
04 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
05 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, cooked or canned, drained
08 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)

→ Tahini Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water to thin dressing
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint)

# Directions:

01 - Slice and shred all vegetables as specified and place them into a large salad bowl.
02 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add water gradually until the dressing is pourable.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds and fresh herbs on top, if desired.
05 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to enhance crispness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It actually tastes good enough to crave, not just something virtuous you eat because you should.
  • Every color on your plate does something different—different textures, different sweetness, different crunch.
  • You can throw it together in the time it takes to boil water, and it gets better the next day too.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour ahead or it will turn into a soft, watery puddle—the vegetables release their liquid and the greens give up completely.
  • The thickness of your tahini dressing is everything; too thick and it won't coat, too thin and it slides off everything and pools at the bottom like regret.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar and shake it instead of whisking; it emulsifies better and you can taste it straight from the jar before committing to the whole bowl.
  • Slice your vegetables the day before if you want to feel organized, but keep them in separate containers so the watery ones don't make the whole bowl soggy.
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