Red Leaf Lettuce Salad with Raisins, Walnuts, and Curry Tahini Dressing

on Jul 12, 2020, Updated Jan 27, 2022

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You guys, this salad is a trip to Flavor. Town. 🙌 It starts with Red Leaf Lettuce tossed with my (current F A V O R I T E) Golden Tahini Dressing and layered with savory roasted carrots, crunchy walnuts, and chewy raisins for just a touch of sweetness and balance.

The combo is seriously delightful and this homemade curry spiced tahini dressing is my latest obsession. I put it on everything from salads and chickpea wraps to sweet potato fries and it always makes whatever I’m making about 10000 times more delicious!

The recipe for this salad and the dressing can be found below, but the salad is less of a “recipe” and more of a method. Feel free to change up the ingredients to customize it to your taste preferences.

….that’s part of the fun of making your own food, right? You can have it exactly the way YOU want it **chef’s kiss** 👌

FOR THE SALAD

Base

Chopped Red Leaf Lettuce, Romain Lettuce, or Mixed Greens

Components

Roasted Carrots (or Sweet Potatoes): I roast one carrot per person by peeling and then slicing on a diagonal into oval disk shapes. Then just toss the carrots with coconut oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 375 until fork tender. About 20 minutes, but it depends on thick you slice them. I do this in big batches and keep leftovers in the a container for easy lunch salads, quick side dishes, or to use as “chip replacement” for hummus later in the week. Note: A pinch of cumin, dried coriander, or smoked paprika can be added before roasting for extra flavor if you like!
Radishes and Cucumbers. I like this combo because it adds a cool, refreshing crunch that offsets the rich spices in the dressing.
A handful of walnuts and raisins bring it all together. Sprinkle in generously 👩🏻‍🍳

Assemble

Repeat after me: A good salad, is well mixed salad. Say that again, and never forget it! Because WOW does it make all the difference!

Divided sections and zig zag drizzles of dressing are pretty for photos, but after you snap a pic, transfer your salad to a BIG mixing bowl and toss until well combined.

This makes sure that the dressing is evenly distrubted and that there’s something tasty in every bite.

Such a small change, but the difference is pretty incredible 👍

Another small thing that makes a BIG difference, is making sure your lettuce is dry. Wet lettuce = a bland, soggy salad because the dressing won’t be able to coat the leaves if they’re damp.

I use this salad spinner and then pat dry with a clean cloth. HUGE difference!

Note: if you toss a salad in a small bowl, you will make a mess and you will be very frustrated, sooo use a big bowl and avoid the headache 😊