Hearty and filling, Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad makes a tasty side dish or a satisfying lunch. Making Caesar salad with kale creates a hearty texture rich salad with delicious results. Topped with my creamy Caesar Dressing without Anchovies, Parmesan cheese, and croutons this classic’s got crunch, creamy and punchy flavor. This recipe is vegetarian.
A Classic Made with Kale
Don’t you just love a good hearty Caesar salad? In this version, we’re making it with kale. A hearty and chewy green that we’ll massage to tenderize. Massaging kale for just a few minutes breaks down the cell walls and renders it tender and absolutely wonderful!
You may be wondering, is Caesar salad vegetarian? The traditional recipe is not, incorporating Worcestershire sauce or anchovies in the dressing to deliver, in part, its assertive flavor. However, to keep this recipe vegetarian, I use my rich and creamy Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies.
This Kale Caesar Salad Is
- crisp and fresh
- texture rich
- a delicious side salad
If you make homemade side salads, you’ll enjoy this tasty classic with kale!
About the Key Ingredients
- Kale – You’ll need two bunches or about one pound. There are several varieties to choose from:
- Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale – one of my favorites, it’s tender with a delicate flavor, and has a lighter chew than other varieties.
- Curly Kale – a chewier kale with flavor that leans bitter. The leaves are curly and have craggy edges.
- Red Russian Kale – a beautiful kale with dark frilly leaves and purple veins. It’s flavor is sweeter than curly kale, and chewier than lacinato. This is a tasty, moderate kale.
- Parmesan Cheese – Buy a wedge of Parmesan and use a veggie peeler to get those long and wide Parmesan strips for the salad. Grated Parmesan will also be incorporated into the salad.
- Caesar Dressing – a flavorful salad dressing that ties all the ingredients together! Store-bought Caesar dressing cannot hold a candle to homemade.
At a Glance: How to Make Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad
- First, in a blender, whip up the dressing. Chill until ready to use.
- Next, pour the dressing over the kale, then give it a two minute massage (yes! a massage!). Add the grated parmesan, a drizzle of more dressing as needed desired and toss.
- Last, transfer the kale to a serving bowl, and garnish with shaved parm, croutons and lemon.
Kale can be tough and fiberous, but to make it tender for this salad, we’re setting a timer for two minutes and massaging it. Doing this makes it more palatable, tender and enjoyable for eating.
What to Serve with Kale Caesar Salad
A classic for good reason, the question is what not to serve with Kale Caesar Salad. A little black dress of the salad world, It goes with everything! Here are some ideas:
Traci’s Tips
- Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to three days in advance. The salad can be assembled up to a few hours in a advance, but the kale tends to get soggy the longer it sets with dressing on it. So, massage the kale and finish the salad just before serving for freshest texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: Look for vegetarian friendly Parmesan cheese (one that does not use rennet in production). BelGioioso, Organic Valley and Stella are vegetarian friendly. For more information, check with your preferred cheese maker.
Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad Recipe
Servings:6 – 7 side salads
Calories:422kcal
Hearty and filling, Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad makes a tasty side dish or a satisfying lunch. Topped with creamy vegetarian Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese and Garlic Butter Croutons or Sourdough Croutons. Make it a main and whip up a batch of these crispy Garlic Chickpea Croutons. This recipe is vegetarian and easily egg free.
Ingredients
For the Dressing
For the Salad
- 2 bunches Kale about 1 pound, two varieties like lacinato and curly
- 2 cups (115 grams) Sourdough Croutons
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) Grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) Shaved Parmesan
- 1 Lemon sliced into eight wedges
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper for serving
Instructions
- Remove the ribs/stem from the kale, discard the ribs. Cut the kale into bite size pieces. Wash the kale in a salad spinner or alternatively, wash the kale in a large bowl, strain and pat dry. Dry the kale as throughly as possible.
- Transfer the kale into a large mixing bowl, pour about half a cup of dressing over the kale, set a timer for two minutes, and massage the kale, rubbing the kale leaves with your hands. You'll notice the leaves get softer and break down a bit while you massage. Taste for tenderness and massage a bit more if desired.
- Toss with more dressing as desired and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the kale to a large serving bowl, top with shaved Parmesan, and sourdough croutons. Add a few twists of fresh ground black pepper to the salad and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serve within about 30 minutes for best texture. Store salad leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge. Enjoy within 24 hours.
Notes
Prep Ahead: To get ahead on the salad, make the croutons and prepare the kale, without the dressing, up to three days ahead. The dressing can be made up to three days ahead.
A Note on Nutrition: the calculator below includes the salad without the dressing.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1side salads | Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 904mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4495IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 379mg | Iron: 4mg
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