This hearty pumpkin, kale, quinoa, and tofu salad with creamy, tangy tahini dressing is a filling lunch or dinner option. Store in a jar in layers to stop the wet and dry ingredients from mixing – this will keep it fresh for up to 3 days. Perfect for healthy, plant-based meal prep!

Bowl of pumpkin and kale salad on marble benchtop.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty mix of pumpkin, kale, quinoa, and tofu for a satisfying and filling meal.
Creamy and tangy tahini dressing is super tasty – no boring salads around here!
Perfect for meal prep – store in jars to keep it fresh for up to 3 days in advance. Layer it correctly with the sauce and protein on the bottom and the dry ingredients will stay crisp and fresh at the top. Plus it looks super cute to take to the office!

Ingredients

This salad is not only tasty but it is so healthy. Here are the key ingredients and why they’re so good for you (and tasty!):

Pumpkin: Adds a hearty texture, sweet flavor, and a dose of vitamins A and C.
Quinoa: Protein-packed for a satisfying and balanced meal, while also providing essential amino acids.
Kale: A robust and nutritious base, rich in antioxidants and boasting a satisfying crunch when baked.
Pine nuts: Nutty and buttery, adding a delightful crunch and healthy fats.
Red onion: Sharp and crisp, providing a burst of flavor to the mix.
Extra firm tofu: Crumbled for a meaty texture, delivering plant-based protein.

You’ll find detailed quantities for every ingredient in the recip e card at the bottom of this post, but here is a shopping list for your convenience:

Salad

Pumpkin
Quinoa
Vegetable broth
Kale
Pine nuts
Red onion
Extra firm tofu
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Dressing

Tahini
Lemon
Water
Garlic powder
Sumac
Ground cumin
Salt

How to Make This Salad

For detailed instructions, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post. For a quick overview though, here are the simple steps 🙂

Step One: Prep Ingredients

Cube and roast pumpkin.
Rinse quinoa, cook, and set aside.
Wilt and bake kale for varied textures.
Toast pine nuts.

Step Two: Make the Dressing

Whisk tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic powder, sumac, cumin, and salt.

Step Three: Press and Crumble Tofu

Press and crumble extra firm tofu for a meaty texture that will absorb the dressing flavors.

Step Four: Assemble Salad

Layer in jars: dressing, tofu, pumpkin, wilted kale, quinoa, red onion, pine nuts, crispy kale.
Seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Tip upside down when ready to eat!

For a complete meal experience, pair this salad with dijon roasted cauliflower, vegan cucumber sandwiches and Pineapple Ginger Cucumber Lemon Water Recipe, from my friends’ blog.

I hope you enjoy this salad – make sure to check out some of my other filling recipes like Roast Cabbage and Peanut Salad, Celery Salad, Cowboy Caviar, or Avocado BLT Pasta Salad.

Creamy Tahini, Kale & Pumpkin Salad

This hearty pumpkin, kale, quinoa and tofu salad with creamy, tangy tahini dressing is a filling lunch or dinner option. Store in a jar in layers to stop the wet and dry ingredients mixing – this will keep it fresh for up to 3 days. Perfect for healthy, plant-based meal prep!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 487kcal

Cost $14

Ingredients

Salad

1 kg pumpkin peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
1 cup quinoa dry
2 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch kale stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
450 g extra firm tofu pressed & crumbled
olive oil
salt & pepper

Dressing

1/3 cup tahini hulled
1 lemon juiced
4 tbsp water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 390°F / 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin pieces onto tray, add a generous lug of olive oil and a pinch of salt then massage with your hands so all sides are coated evenly. Roast for 40 minutes in a single layer until pumpkin is golden and softened.
Add quinoa and vegetable broth to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer on low heat for approx. 15 minutes (maybe a few extra minutes depending on stove top and pot), or until broth has been absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside.
Heat a lug of olive oil in a large frypan. Add roughly 3/4 of the kale leaves and stir until wilted (roughly 3-5 minutes). Add the remainder of the kale leaves to a lined baking tray, coat in olive oil and a pinch of salt, then bake for about 10 – 15 minutes until slightly browned and crispy.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until well combined. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.
Divide the dressing amongst the jars and then add the rest of the ingredients in the following order: crumbled tofu, pumpkin, wilted kale, quinoa, red onion, pine nuts and crispy kale.
Seal the jars and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad should stay nice and fresh if layered correctly. When you're ready to eat, simply tip the jar upside down into a bowl and mix to combine.