This gorgeous kale Caesar salad, with avocado, crunchy croutons, and a creamy, tangy dressing is a fabulous twist on the classic. Healthy and full of flavour, it comes together quickly for a nutritious lunch or dinner.
I have always loved a good caesar salad but even when I make it myself, I don’t know that I ever crave to eat it again the next day. This one I do, particularly during the winter season when I really want heartier, more nutritious salads.
Hopefully, trying to convince anyone that kale is in fact a delicious leafy green is a thing of the past. But if you have any doubt remaining, this flavourful take on the classic Caesar salad will undoubtedly make you a convert. Here, the kale doesn’t so much replace the romaine, we just just have it join the party.
The combination of massaged-until-tender curly kale, romaine lettuce which remains here for familiarity and the crunch factor, sliced avocados, shaved curls of Parmesan cheese, garlicky croutons—which add so much texture and flavour—and a cashew-based creamy dressing slicked into to every nook and cranny, all take the traditional Caesar to even greater heights.
It’s so darn good, you will have a really hard time stopping once you start eating this salad. I truly can’t wait for you to give this one a try.
Reasons To Love This Recipe
- Full of flavour and texture: These are the two qualities I adore in a salad and this one has it in spades.
- Make ahead: The sturdy mixes of kale and Romaine means this salad can sit out for a couple hours or even be prepped the day before.
- Nutritious: This salad is made with a significant amount of kale, which aside from being delicious and versatile, is a cruciferous vegetable that has many health benefits.
- Versatile: Make it gluten-free by swapping out the croutons for crispy chickpeas. To make it vegan, omit the Parmesan or use a vegan parmesan. Top with grilled chicken to make it a satisfying meal.
- Hearty and satisfying: Kale is a very substantial and hearty green which will leave you satisfied much longer.
Key Ingredients And Substitutions
This salad has a lot going on in terms of flavour and texture, yet requires few ingredients.
- Kale – I used curly kale when I photographed the recipe, but given the choice, I prefer to use lacinto kale (also known as Tuscan kale, black kale, or cavolo nero). Lacinto kale is sweeter and less bitter than curly kale, though once the curly kale is massaged into submission, the difference is negligible. Where I live, Lacinto kale is not as readily available and it is also a lot more expensive. Any kale variety will be be great here so use whichever suits you best.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Just a bit to massage and soften the kale leaves.
- Romaine lettuce – Though technically this is a kale caesar salad, I like to combine it with romaine to preserve the familiar refreshing crunch we all know and love in a Caesar salad.
- Croutons – Though you can use store-bought croutons for this kale caesar salad, it’s absolutely worth making your own — store-bought croutons just can’t compete. For an extra garlicky punch, I like to toast the cubed pieces of bread with grated garlic.
- Parmesan cheese – To me, the salty umaminess of Parmesan cheese is pretty essential in any Caesar salad. That said, if you’re avoiding dairy, you can use a vegan parm.
- Avocado – Optional, but adds more lovely creaminess and heft to this salad.
Best Dressing For Kale Caesar Salad
Without a doubt, a great dressing is the backbone of a fine-tuned Caesar salad. Here, I give you three choices:
- Standard Caesar dressing (nut-free) – You can’t go wrong with this simple and crowd-pleasing Caesar salad dressing. It’s not quite classic because mayo (I use vegan mayo) takes the place of the raw egg. The rest of the standard ingredients that make a great Caesar dressing—lemon juice, dijon, anchovies(optional), Parmesan cheese, and garlic—are there.
- Tahini Dressing (nut-free/vegan)- This Caesar-esque tahini salad dressing is absolutely delightful with kale. Just make sure to use lemons and not limes.
- Raw cashew Caesar salad dressing (vegan) – I am mildly obsessed with this vegan, cashew based dressing and it is the one I included in this post. In this dressing, blended raw cashews contribute irresistible creaminess without any dairy. It is lemony, garlicky but dairy and anchovy-free. A bit of caper brine is also added to evoke the tangy-salty-punchy balance found in the real deal. Tip: If you don’t have cashews, you can use cashew butter.
How to Make Kale Caesar Salad
This kale Caesar salad is very simple to make but thoughtful, intentional prep is one of the things that will take it from good to great. You want the kale stemmed, and sliced into ribbons not too thick, not too thin. The crunch from the croutons is delightful but you don’t want to go too big so they don’t overwhelm.
Make the croutons. Place cubed bread on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until croutons are pale golden brown and crisp.
Blend the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until silky smooth. Add a bit more water if it seems too thick.
Massage the kale. In a large bowl, massage the kale (see how-to in section below).
Dress the kale and romaine. Add the romaine to the massaged kale and toss to mix. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing (I use about half) and toss again to coat all the leaves.
Assemble the salad. Transfer the dressed kale and romaine to a serving bowl or deep platter. Top with avocado, if using, the croutons and Parmesan. Drizzle with a bit more dressing and season with a pinch more salt and pepper.
How And Why You Should Massage Kale
All kale varieties are a little bitter but curly kale in particular, has the most pronounced bitter flavour and the leaves can be a little toothy. Massaging the kale with a pinch of salt and some olive oil will help tame the bitterness and help break up the tough, husky leaves. Softening the leaves will also make them easier to digest.
It sounds like a fussy step but it really takes no more than 2 minutes and it will make your kale salad taste so much better! Here’s what you do:
Start by slicing or stripping the leaves from the thick ribs; discard the ribs and chop the leaves into small pieces. Next, rinse and dry thoroughly, then place the chopped kale in a bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. With clean hands, knead the leaves until they break down and become soft and almost wilted, for about 2 minutes.
Tips
- Store the croutons separately. The croutons will get soggy if refrigerated. Store any leftover croutons in the counter in an airtight container.
- Dress the kale Caesar salad generously. You don’t want to drench it, but the assertive flavour of kale calls for more dressing than you might think. If the salad isn’t as flavourful as you’d like, it might just need a bit more dressing.
- Dry the leaves well. Wet salad leaves will water down the dressing. Make sure you use a salad spinner or a few dish towels to thoroughly dry the leaves.
- Swap croutons for walnuts. For a gluten-free version, I already mentioned using chickpeas instead of croutons. Toasted walnuts would also be delicious. In fact, sometimes I reduce the amount of croutons and add the walnuts as well. So good!
- Stick with curl kale if serving a crowd. Curly kale is a lot bulkier than lacinto kale which means one bunch will go a long way. In general, it is also easier to find and less expensive.
- If using lacinto kale, increase the amount. Lacinto kale is not voluminous as curly kale so you will want to use at least 2 more cups than the recipe calls for.
Make Ahead And Storage Suggestions
You can prep a lot of the salad ahead of time. The dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Massage the chopped kale and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. Make the croutons and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week in advance.
Chop the romaine and assemble the salad only when you are ready to serve it.
To store leftovers: If not dressed too aggressively, the salad is hearty enough to make great leftovers. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If possible, store any leftover croutons separately at room temperature so they don’t get soggy.
Serving Suggestions
This kale Caesar salad is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a light lunch. You can also pile it onto a mound of brown rice for a light, easy supper, and/or add some sliced grilled chicken shrimp – yum!
To serve as a delicious side dish, pair it with pasta, burgers, fish, pizza, grilled or roasted meat. Here’s a few ideas for main dishes you might enjoy:
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Chopped Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Italian Salad
- Mexican Chopped Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Radicchio Salad with Fennel and Pear
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the croutons
- 4 slices crusty bread cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the dressing (see notes for two more dressing options)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (or use 1/2 cup cashew butter)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons
- 1 fat garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons brine from a jar of capers
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
- 5 cups curly kale leaves, lightly packed, ribs removed, and chopped into bite-size pieces (wash and dry thoroughly)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1-2 ripe avocados cut into large wedges
- 3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Place cubed bread on a parchment lined baking sheetbaking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss the croutons making sure they are all coated with oil. Bake until croutons are pale golden brown and crisp, about 12-15 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until silky smooth. Add a bit more water if it seems too thick.
- Place the kale in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. With clean hands, knead the leaves until they break down and become soft and almost wilted, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the romaine to the massaged kale and toss to mix. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and toss again to coat all the leaves.
- Transfer the dressed kale and romaine to a serving bowl or deep platter. Top with avocado, if using, the croutons and Parmesan. Drizzle with a bit more dressing and season with a pinch more salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prep a lot of the salad ahead of time. The dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Massage the chopped kale and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. Make the croutons and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week in advance.
- To store leftovers: If not dressed too aggressively, the salad is hearty enough to make great leftovers. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If possible, store any leftover croutons separately at room temperature so they don’t get soggy.
- Standard Caesar dressing (nut-free)- You can’t go wrong with this simple and crowd-pleasing Caesar salad dressing. It’s not quite classic because mayo (I use vegan mayo) takes the place of the raw egg. The rest of the standard ingredients that make a great Caesar dressing—lemon juice, dijon, anchovies(optional), Parmesan cheese, and garlic—are there.
- Tahini Dressing (nut-free/vegan)- This Caesar-esque tahini salad dressing is absolutely delightful with kale. Just make sure to use lemons and not limes.
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