Rainbow Salad with Tahini (Printer-Friendly)

Colorful vegetables combined with a creamy tahini dressing for a bright, healthy side or meal.

# What You 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 - 2-3 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)

# How to Cook:

01 - Thinly slice, julienne, shred, or halve all vegetables as specified and place them in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Gradually add water until the dressing is pourable.
03 - Pour the tahini dressing over the prepared vegetables and toss gently to ensure even coating.
04 - Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds and chopped fresh herbs on top if desired.
05 - Serve immediately or chill for 10 to 15 minutes to enhance crispness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the longer it sits, so you can prep it hours ahead and let the flavors get cozy together.
  • Every bite has a different texture and crunch, which somehow makes eating vegetables feel like an adventure instead of a chore.
  • The tahini dressing is ridiculously creamy without any dairy, so even committed salad skeptics tend to come back for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't add the dressing more than an hour ahead of serving unless you want a softer, almost wilted salad—which honestly isn't bad, just different from what you probably want.
  • The thickness of your tahini dressing matters; too thick and it won't coat everything evenly, too thin and it becomes invisible, so taste and adjust as you go.
03 -
  • Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes before using if you want the salad to stay crisp longer and feel extra refreshing.
  • If you find tahini dressing too intense, thin it with a little more lemon juice or water and taste again—sometimes it just needs a tiny adjustment to click.
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