Kale Caesar Salad
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Published May 16, 2022, Updated Mar 18, 2024
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Swap romaine for curly kale to make this amazing kale caesar salad with crunchy sourdough croutons and a creamy, healthy caesar dressing.
Yesterday I shared my go-to healthy caesar dressing and today I’m sharing my new favorite caesar salad! Instead of making this salad with romaine lettuce, which isn’t that nutritious, I decided to make it with kale. Kale is one of my favorite leafy greens and is a much healthier option as it’s packed with tons of vitamins and minerals.
I kept this recipe pretty simple mainly because the croutons and dressing already add a ton of flavor, but feel free to customize this salad to your liking. I’ve been enjoying this salad for lunches during the week topped with sliced avocado and grilled chicken. It’s SO good!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s made with kale, which packs a nutritional punch!
- Enjoy as a side salad or add some protein for a meal-sized salad.
- It’s so simple to make. Just prepare the croutons and dressing, assemble and serve!
Kale Nutrition
Leafy green veggies are the most nutrient-rich foods on Earth and kale is no exception. Kale is a powerhouse green. It’s low in calories and packed with nutrients! Kale is really high in vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C and K as well as potassium. It’s also a good plant-based source of calcium and is loaded with antioxidants. Overall, kale is one of the healthiest and most nutritious leafy greens available to us (Source).
Ingredients Needed
- curly kale – the base of this salad! The curly kale pairs well with the rest of the ingredients but you can swap it for Lacinato kale (otherwise known as dinosaur kale) or any type of leafy green or lettuce you have on hand.
- caesar dressing – a healthier caesar dressing made with Greek yogurt instead of eggs or mayo.
- sourdough croutons – my sourdough croutons add the perfect crunch to this salad.
- parmesan – I highly recommend topping this salad with freshly shaved parmesan cheese for a bit more flavor. For a dairy-free option, you can make this vegan parmesan cheese or use a store-bought version.
Healthy Caesar Dressing
I topped this salad with my homemade healthy caesar dressing. It’s made with Greek yogurt instead of egg yolks or mayo, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper. Just add all your ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
It’s absolutely delicious and is packed with all the caesar flavor you love while being lighter in calories and fat than a traditional caesar dressing. I also have this avocado caesar dressing that would be delicious paired with the kale and croutons.
If you don’t have the ingredients on hand to make homemade caesar dressing, you can also use your favorite store-bought dressing. Just be mindful of the ingredients and look for clean ingredient lists without cheap, hydrogenated oils, HFCS, tons of additives, food coloring and thickeners. One of my favorites is this Primal Kitchen dairy-free caesar dressing.
Customize Your Salad
This salad can definitely be customized! Here are some suggestions:
Switch up the greens – if you’re not a fan of kale, feel free to use your favorite lettuce or leafy green instead. Romaine would be my second choice for this salad.
Add veggies – I love the simplicity of this salad, but feel free to toss in as many veggies as you’d like! If I were to add more vegetables to this salad I would add chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado.
Add protein – turn this salad into a meal-sized salad by topping it with some protein. It’s delicious paired with my apple cider vinegar chicken or air fryer chicken breast, but grilled shrimp, baked tofu, tempeh, crispy air fryer chickpeas, or hard-boiled eggs would all be tasty options.
Prepping This Salad Ahead of Time
This salad is super simple to throw together in the moment, but you can also prep it in advance! Here’s what I recommend:
- Make your croutons and store them at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Make dressing and store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge.
- Wash and de-stem kale and store in a separate container in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to serve, portion out the kale into bowls, drizzle dressing over kale and mix to combine, top with croutons and freshly grated parmesan.
Popular Salad Recipes to Try
- Mediterranean Salmon Salad
- Fall Quinoa Spinach Salad
- Easy Quinoa Salad
- Easy Spinach Salad
- Caesar Salad with Shrimp
- Blackened Chicken Cobb Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Bella Hadid Salad
- Antipasto Salad
More Kale Recipes to Try
- Garlicky Kale Salad
- Massaged Kale Salad
- Kale and Feta Crustless Quiche
- Kale Pomegranate Salad
- Easy Baked Kale Chips
- Sweet Kale Salad
- Sunflower Crunch Salad
- Easy Kale Salad
Be sure to check out all of my kale recipes as well as the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale, de-stemmed and chopped (about 12 cups)
- Caesar Dressing
- Sourdough Croutons
- Fresh shaved parmesan, for topping
Instructions
- Prepare dressing and croutons.
- Add chopped kale to a large bowl, pour dressing over and toss to combine. Let kale sit for at least 5-10 minutes to soak in the dressing.
- Plate kale and top with croutons and fresh parmesan. To make this salad a meal, top with protein of choice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
