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If you shy away from salads because you find yourself hungry 45 minutes after eating one, you aren’t alone. This Kale Caesar Salad is not your average salad. It’s actually filling, creamy and crunchy. Plus, this is a vegan salad, so no bloating, cramping or bathroom runs from a dairy-filled lunch.
Salad isn’t always a filling lunch option, yet I find myself full and satisfied after sitting down to this fun dish. Dress it up to your preference and get ready to enjoy a truly tasty creation.
Ingredients in Kale Caesar Salad
I’ve got two drool-worthy secrets to making this kale caesar salad vegan AND enjoying it even more.
- I smother the whole creation with my Garlic Lemon Aioli. It is seriously good and super easy to make. If you forget to soak the cashews ahead of time then just pour some hot water over them and let them sit for 10 minutes before draining and using.
The Garlic Lemon Aioli is super easy to make, remember to give your cashews time to soak. If you forget to soak them ahead of time, pour hot water over them and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. The drain and add to the recipe. - I use my Vegan Parmesan Cheese recipe that totally tastes like the real deal and yet is completely dairy-free AND packed with protein. Book! I keep a jar of this wonderful creation on hand at all times since it goes with almost everything.
Vegan doesn’t have to be gross, less flavorful or boring. This kale caesar salad still has the creamy dressing and the crunch. It fills me up and doesn’t give me the uncomfortable side effects that dairy does.
How to Make Kale Caesar Salad
- Massage the kale: Squeezing the kale with oil helps soften the hard fibers and aids in digestion. It’ll feel strange the first time you do it, but after the first bite you’ll be sold. If kale isn’t your thing, then swap for dark romaine or do half romaine, half kale and enjoy!
- Puree the dressing: I like to do this in my Vitamix Ascent A3500 blender because I get the best results. Yet you can also make the cashew aioli in a food processor or other high-speed blender. You might want to double the dressing to have it easier for the blades to puree everything.
- Add toppings: What you put on top of your salad is what makes it memorable. Try adding garlic baked chickpeas to create more of a crunchy crouton result. And don’t miss out on the Vegan Parmesan Cheese— it’ll become a staple. Toast the pepitas for a soften crunch and a deeper flavor
Salad Prep Tips
You can make kale caesar salad a day or three ahead! I like to prepare the kale, toppings and dressing in separate containers until ready to eat. That way it’s not soggy and all I have to do it mix it together to eat it. Should last 4 to 5 days in the fridge this way.
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juiced
- ½ cup chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp pepitas raw
- dash sea salt
- dash ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
Garlic Lemon Aioli
- ¼ cup raw cashews soaked
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp lemon squeeze of juice
Instructions
- In a food processor or high-speed blender (small container), puree the Garlic Lemon Aioli ingredients until creamy. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water. The mixture should be thick and creamy.
- Place the kale in a large serving bowl and drizzle it with oil. With clean hands, gently massage the kale until tenderized (5 minutes, at most). Squeeze the lemon juice over the top.
- Mix in the chickpeas and Cashew Garlic Aioli until well combined.
- Serve with pepitas and Vegan Parmesan Cheese.
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Notes
- Soaking the cashews for 2+ hours helps get the aioli creamy. If you’re short on time, flash soak in boiling water or just blend them raw. Yet you won’t get as creamy of a dressing.
- Massaging the kale helps relax the leaves as well as takes out some of the bitterness.Â
- If you don’t have kale on hand, swap with spinach or romaine lettuce.
- Kale does have a bite, so if you’re new to kale then use half kale, half romaine to start.
- Toasting the chickpeas slightly before adding gives them a crouton-like texture.Â
Nutrition
Common Questions
It depends on what’s in it. The one you get at a restaurant, drowning in dressing and covered in croutons probably isn’t. Yet my version is 100% plant-based, creamy and filling.
This Kale Caesar salad omits the cheese and dairy-based dressing, replacing them with vegan ingredients. My salad has a vegan cheese sprinkle (that’s wonderful!) as well as a dairy-free dressing that you might need to double because it’s so good.
Caesar dressing is dairy-based, which makes it vegetarian yet not vegan. My Kale Caesar salad has a cashew garlic aioli that is super creamy and flavorful and 100% vegan.
The cashew aioli is delish! It was super easy to mix up and very tasty and filling! Another 5 star recipe!
Tasty and was quick to put together. Made just the right amount.
I have been waiting for this salad and I was not disappointed!!
What a fabulous switch for caesar salad. I will definitely make again very soon!
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed it!
I love the garlic flavor of this dressing. Next time I may mix Romaine lettuce with the kale and have this salad as a side.
Wow! The garlic aioli … so yummy. Such a terrific balance of lemon and garlic in this salad. Makes me rethink regular Cesar dressing. Add a bit of nutritional yeast to give it a more cheesy flavour. <3
Kale Caesar is fabulous. Caesar salad is one of my faves but I don’t indulge too often because of the fatty dressing and croutons. I had found a vegan dressing at TJ’s that I love. But this one is even better and I didn’t miss the park and croutons with this crunchy cheesy topping.
Fabulous salad loaded with nutritious superfoods and love the addition of chickpeas for protein! Nice creamy cashew dressing combination as well!
I really enjoyed this recipe! The garlic lemon aioli was delicious – I really appreciated that it was dairy free! Will definitely make again!
This is overall a nice recipe; however, there is too much aioli for just 2 servings. I think increasing the base ingredients by 50 or even 100% for this volume of aioli might be appropriate. (That would also help lower the fat content per serving so that one doesn’t consume 1/3 of the day’s fat intake in just a side salad.) Also, it was a bit too garlicky, so I suggest specifying a SMALL garlic clove in the aioli.
Very garlicky but delicious
So good. Wouldn’t change anything.
I have never tried a Ceasar Salad. I am so thankful for this challenge and that you included a Ceasar Salad. I loved it so much! Great flavors. I used pinenuts in both the dressing and the cheese mix. I added some pepperoncini peppers.
Great idea to add the pepperoncini peppers!
Great flavor, won’t change a thing
We’ll make again
Is there anything I could sub for cashews in the aioli?
Is there anything I could sub for cashews in the aioli? I am allergic to cashews
You could def try almonds, pine nuts, or other seeds.
I used pinenuts
How great does this look! I want to blend the dressing with some of the garbanzo beans as well and then toast the rest! Looks so yummy!
Yum! Toasted garbanzo beans would be an incredible topping.
I am not a salad person… and this salad was love at first bite for me when I tried it in Rawk the Year! Love that it made its way to the blog.
I’m so glad you are loving it! We love sharing yummy recipes on the blog with our readers.