For your healthy winter salad cravings, look no further than this allergen-free Sprouts and Kale Salad! Picture a bed of kale, topped with mung bean sprouts, seared carrots, and a zesty spicy Chili Lime Dressing. Crunch and munch.
Why I love cooking with sprouted beans:
Sprouting beans and legumes is a great way to add some more raw, living food to your diet. The sprouting process unlocks nutrients that are difficult to obtain from dried legumes. You can sprinkle sprouts over soups and salads or add to sandwiches.
Most legumes can be sprouted, but mung beans, lentils, and peas are commonly used. No fancy device needed – a bowl and a damp towel are all you need. It is essential to source legumes that haven’t been heat-treated as those that have may not sprout.
We sprout different types of beans every few days, to saute and serve them for breakfast or snack or as a side and usually alternate between green Mung/Moong Beans, Moth Bean/Turkish gram and Black-eyed Peas. Make sure to try my bean hash made with sprouted beans, onions, tomatoes and spices. SO GOOD!
How to sprout mung beans:
To Sprout mung beans at home, wash and soak the dry Mung Beans for 4-6 hours. Drain, rinse and keep the bowl covered by a damp towel. Rinse every 6-8 hours until preferred sprout length. The pictured sprouts are 2 day old.
This Kale Salad Recipe features Sprouted Mung Beans, Seared Carrots and a Sweet & Zesty Chili Lime Dressing
I decided to find ways to add more sprouted beans to my healthy vegan meals. This is where this kale salad recipe comes in. The mung bean sprouts are lightly cooked, then tossed with kale or your favorite leafy greens, and topped with sweet seared carrots, carrot greens and a good load of the Chili Lime Sesame Dressing. Toss it well and serve.
The pictured salad is not tossed with the dressing for photography purposes. Just trust me that the dressing distributes really well on the kale and sprouts and tastes absolutely delicious.
Ingredients needed for making Vegan Kale Salad with Mung Beans Sprouts:
- The dressing is a delightfully sweet and spicy mixture of olive oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and zest and both chili flakes and powder for a bit of oomph.
- Kale forms the base of our salad. Make sure it is destemmed and chopped. Then either massage or blanche it. (See tips)
- Mung bean sprouts are high in vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Sprouted mung beans contain fewer calories but have more antioxidants and amino acids than un-sprouted beans.While you could eat them raw, I sauteed them.
- Seared carrots add some natural sweetness to this kale salad recipe. I also added some of the carrot greens to my skillet as I really enjoy their earthy sweetness which reminds me of parsley. Yes, you heard me: Not only are carrot greens edible, but they are super delicious and loaded with nutrients!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Kale stems are tough and fibrous. Make sure you remove them. You can slice them out or rip them out.
- A great way to make kale more tender without having to cook it is to massage it. Season those leaves with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil or white vinegar. Start massaging it with your hands. Don’t overdo it. Over-massaged kale loses that texture and gets mushy. Simply rub the kale leaves together between your fingers until the leaves just start to wilt. Done.
- Alternatively, blanch the kale for 2 minutes in hot water.
- Leftover sprouted mung bean salad makes for a great vegan wrap filling the next day. Add some Daiya pepper jack and cilantro warmed it up to melt the cheese and yum.
- If you are allergic to sesame, use any other oil you enjoy and leave out the sesame seeds for decoration.
- Leave out the chili if you are sharing this meal with little ones.
- Not a fan of kale? Or use other greens of choice.
How to make this Vegan Kale Salad recipe:
Have all the ingredients ready. Mix all ingredients listed under dressing. Taste and adjust salt, sweet and spice. Let sit for 15 minutes if possible or so for the flavors to fully blend and develop.
Cook the Mung bean sprouts in a little oil, covered until slightly less crunchy. To do so, add the sprouts when the oil is just hot, and mix. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Or you can serve the sprouts raw (see below).
Sear the carrots on high heat in a little oil until the edges are slightly charred. I also cooked up some of the carrot greens with the carrots to serve in the salad. They are healthy and delicious.
Massage the kale or blanch it (see tips).
Top with the seared Mung bean sprouts.
Add seared carrots and a good load of chili lime dressing. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.
Can mung bean sprouts be eaten raw?
Mung bean sprouts can carry bacteria, so raw sprouts should best be avoided by children, pregnant women, the elderly and anyone with a weakened immune system. By sauteing the sprouts, as we do for this kale salad recipe, you’ll lose some of the nutrients, but you’ll kill any potential bacteria.
More mung bean recipes from the blog you will love:
- Mung Bean Sprout and Spinach Pizza crust.
- Spiced Mung Bean Sprouts Breakfast.
- Sweet Potato Canapes with BBQ Mung Bean Sprouts.
- Mung Bean Sprouts and Wheat Bread Loaf.
Kale Salad Recipe with Mung Bean Sprouts, Seared Carrots & Chili Lime Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
Chili Lime Sesame Dressing:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Maple syrup more for sweeter
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- a generous dash of cayenne pepper or red chili powder
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- salt + pepper
- a generous dash of lime zest
Salad:
- Kale destemmed, chopped
- 1.5 cups (5.5 oz) Mung bean sprouts
- Sliced Carrots
- Chili Lime Sesame dressing to taste
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Dressing:
- Mix everything listed under dressing. Taste and adjust salt, sweet and spice. Let sit for 15 minutes if possible or so for the flavors to all gel together.
To Sprout Mung Beans at home:
- Wash and soak the dry Mung Beans for 4-6 hours. Drain, rinse and keep the bowl covered by a damp towel. Rinse every 6-8 hours until preferred sprout length. The pictured sprouts are 2 day old.
Salad:
- Cook the Mung bean sprouts. In a large pan, add a teaspoon of oil and heat on medium. Add the sprouts when the oil is hot, and mix well. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Or you can serve the sprouts raw.
- Massage the kale in a little olive oil for a few minutes.
- Or blanch for 2 minutes in hot water. I usually blanch mine. Or use other greens of choice.
Sear the sliced carrots:
- In a large pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil and heat on high. Add sliced carrots when hot. Cook until some edges are browned. I also cooked up some of the carrot greens with the carrots to serve in the salad.
- In a bowl, add Kale, Sprouts, seared carrots(and optional carrot greens).
- Add the dressing and toss well.
- Top with sesame seeds or crushed peanuts.
Notes
- Kale stems are tough and fibrous. Make sure you remove them. You can slice them out or rip them out.
- A great way to make kale more tender without having to cook it is to massage it. Season those leaves with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil or white vinegar. Start massaging it with your hands. Don't overdo it. Over-massaged kale loses that texture and gets mushy. Simply rub the kale leaves together between your fingers until the leaves just start to wilt. Done.
- Alternatively, blanch the kale for 2 minutes in hot water.
- Leftover sprouted mung bean salad makes for a great vegan wrap filling the next day. Add some Daiya pepper jack and cilantro warmed it up to melt the cheese and yum.
- If you are allergic to sesame, use any other oil you enjoy and leave out the sesame seeds for decoration.
- Leave out the chili if you are sharing this meal with little ones.
- Not a fan of kale? Or use other greens of choice.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in February 2020.
Denise
Richa, Have you ever tried eating fresh raw okra? Slice it thinly into circles and sprinkle on a green salad. Or just eat it raw on the pod (hold it by the stem). I hated okra until I tried it raw. No slime and crunchy mild taste. Not bad.
Richa
i havent, i doubt i’ll like it, becuase it gets slimy while slicing 🙂
Sharon
Please try brushing with 1 T. coconut oil mixed with 1 t. turmeric powder. Place a dot of toothpaste on your brush, if desired, then dip brush in oil and turmeric mixture. Brush. This will brighten your teeth as well.
Jessica
This was amazing! Ok I may be late to the game but now I’m hooked on sprouting.
Animesh Gupta
Thank u for providing such a helpful SALAD recipe.
I tried it and i’s taste was really awesome.
I just wanted to know that for how much longer duration this SALAD can be preserved?
Richa
your can keep it refrigerated for 2 days.
N
That’s a great presentation for a salad 🙂
Leigh
This was outrageously good, and my husband professed his love for you:
https://www.aluminarium.com/camping/south-dakota/elkhorn-ridge-rv-resort/
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes
This is such a beautiful bowl of goodness, I don’t know why but I am “afraid” of sprouting, you make it look so easy! Loved reading your get to know me list, so much fun!
Unprocessed People
Your’e photos are stunning!
veganmiam.com
What a refreshing and beautiful dish! I love mung bean sprouts, especially in a spicy dressing and these seared carrots = GORGEOUS. The spicier, the better! I saw a baby Pomeranian last week, but the head was all shaved off (I wish I can take a photo for you…), it was so cute! I am also sensitive to cold things, and I even have a broken wisdom tooth ;( ALRIGHT, we are both in the technical group – go developers! Can we watch Bollywood movies together?! I <3 them! Thanks for sharing these random facts about yourself!
Mihl
I have made several attempts at growing mung sprouts. I guess you could say I was too successful. I ended up with tons and tons of sprouts. Which would have been perfect for this salad, so I am growing them again!
Veganosaurus
What a beautiful looking salad, Richa!!! And the sound of that dressing is making my mouth water. *slurp*
Disha Kapadia
A great recipe! Fantastic combination of flavours for the dressing!
https://saltpeppernspice.blogspot.in/
Annie
Pretty, pretty salad!
Randi (laughfrodisiac)
What a beautiful salad!! And all those interesting mung bean and spinach recipes! I want to try the pizza crust, after I make this salad.
Bobbie {the vegan crew}
Now this is my kind of salad! 🙂 I don’t think I could actually live too far from the city, but living somewhere with enough space for loads of rescued and happy animals does sound like a dream come true!
Hannah
I never imagined that a dish of mung beans and kale could ever be dressed up to look either elegant or beautiful, and yet your photos manage both with ease. I love it both on the white and black settings, but I think that the high-contrast of the black table really draws me in most. Stunning use of light and color- I want to make the recipe right now!
Shannon
That dressing sounds so good! I can see myself covering everything in it.
Joey
I love mung beans in all forms, but I’ve never managed to sprout them successfully! Have you got a foolproof method for a sprouting dunce?!
Richa
Mine always sprout:) Just soak them in warm water overnight. Soak in like double the water. Then drain and rinse well and put in any box, cover lightly with a damp towel. Rinse the beans every 6-8 hours. If the ambient temp is too cold, it might take 2 days to sprout. You can keep them in the oven with the light on for extra warmth.
Caitlin
this is a beautiful salad, richa!
i loved all of your little facts. i wish you’d share more! i consider you my girlfriend and if you ever need to unload or talk, i’m here for you, lady!
and about teeth problems- several years ago, i switched my toothpaste to fluoride free, and my dentist always raves about how perfect my teeth are. when we got married, dayv had a pretty bad gum infection from years of not going to the dentist. but after a couple of cleanings (he was told he’d need several more), the gum disease went away. i attribute it to him no longer using fluoride toothpaste. also, i floss every single day. those are my pointers…and unsolicited advice. maybe it can help?
love you, lady <3
Richa
Awesome! Just wait till I start bugging you 🙂
that is interesting. Coz the dentists keep pushing more and more flouride towards me to use. Toothpastes, mouthwashes and so on. Even with twice a day brushing,somewhat regular flossing and mouthwashing in the past few years, there is little that has xhanged. I did start using a tooth powder in the past few months and maybe that will help. we will know in my next dentist visit.
Happys Cook
Looks awesome… healthy too…
VeggieAmanda
This looks delicious! I love sprouted beans!
Sapana Behl
This looks so yummy !
coconutandberries
This looks so tasty Richa. I bet that dressing is delicious. I should really start sprouting on a regular basis…
I liked learning a bit about you, even if you’re reluctant to share! I have a very fluffy dog too so am also a fan of pomeranians 🙂
Richa
Thanks Emma. I know right. i love hugging the fluffster whenever he is near. 🙂