Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce

Chopped kale sautéed with onions and garlic, mixed with a sauce of sesame tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, and salt.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated May 23, 2022
Elise Bauer
Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce
Elise Bauer

Oh my, this is a good one. I never would have thought to pair kale with tahini (thank you to my friend Peg for the suggestion), but it's great!

Sort of reminiscent of a popular Japanese dish with spinach and sesame gomasio.

Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce
Elise Bauer

The slightly bitter green kale does a happy dance with the acidic lemon and salty richness of the tahini sauce. Very easy to pull together.

Would make an excellent addition to a Thanksgiving or holiday spread. Enjoy. (And as my dad says, eat your greens!)

Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound kale, well rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 tablespoons tahini (use tahini made with toasted sesame seeds, not raw)

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water

  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Method

  1. Remove kale ribs, slice kale:

    Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the rib of each kale leaf. Discard or compost. Slice the leaves roughly 1/2-inch thick.

    sauteed-kale-tahini-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  2. Cook onion and garlic:

    Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

  3. Add kale to the onions:

    Add the kale to the sauté pan. Even if you have a pretty large pan, the kale will be practically falling out of it. Put in as much as you can and use tongs to turn over and mix with the oil and onions.

    After a couple minutes the kale should wilt a bit so you can add the rest of the raw kale.

    sauteed-kale-tahini-method-2
    Elise Bauer
    sauteed-kale-tahini-method-3
    Elise Bauer

    Cook, turning the kale leaves over occasionally until the kales leaves have wilted and are tender. Sprinkle a little salt over the kale leaves while cooking.

  4. Make tahini sauce:

    While the kale is cooking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and dark sesame oil. Add more salt and sesame oil to taste.

  5. Toss cooked kale with sauce:

    Once the kale is done, toss in the sauce, reserving a little to drizzle on top.

    Serve, topped with a little sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
229 Calories
17g Fat
17g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 229
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 115mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 51mg 257%
Calcium 138mg 11%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 442mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.