Recipes  |  Salad  |  Vegan

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

May 30, 2018  |  By: Whitney E. RD

This vegan kale Caesar salad is made with crunchy kale and red cabbage, crispy roasted chickpeas, and a delicious dairy-free Caesar dressing. Makes for a great side or main dish!

My husband loves Caesar salad — and he’s been racking up quite the bill at Sweetgreen lately with his multiple weekly purchases of their Kale Caesar.

I, on the other hand, am not the biggest fan of this popular salad. Maybe it’s the eggs and anchovies in the dressing? Maybe it’s the croutons that remind me of an all you can eat salad bar? Maybe it’s the fact that many Caesar salads are limp, nutritionally devoid piles of iceberg lettuce drenched in way too much dressing. Alright, I’ll stop my tirade.

The thing is, when I eat a salad, I want to know that I am packing in nutrients and flavor at the same time, something a traditional Caesar doesn’t often offer.

The Sweetgreen salad, however, does achieve this with a base of kale and the inclusion of tomatoes. But I really don’t want the hubs blowing $15 a day on it, especially when we’ve now got another mouth to feed! That, and I knew I could make a better one ;)

My vegan kale Caesar salad includes an extra component of cruciferous deliciousness: red cabbage, which adds color, fiber, calcium, and major vitamins.

The pepitas and crunchy baked chickpeas add a dose of plant protein, making this salad worthy of a well-balanced main dish.

And the creamy, lemony vegan Caesar dressing adds an incredible flavor without any eggs, anchovies, or animal products.

I scooped up all of the beautiful produce for this tasty salad from my favorite farm to doorstep delivery service Milk & Eggs.

Milk & Eggs is such an awesome service for busy people who want to eat well but don’t always have time to make it to the grocery store and it’s been an even bigger lifesaver for me lately since I’ve been posted up at home with my little bundle of joy.

Getting my greens (and reds, oranges, purples, whites, etc.) in daily has been much more challenging since baby Caleb came home. When you’re tired and frazzled, you’d much rather warm up a microwavable meal or order Postmates than whip up a nutritious, veggie-packed dish from scratch. Having fresh veg delivered straight to my door, however, removes at least one step from this process.

So this week, I’m making a huge batch of this salad so we’ll have fresh greens ready to grab at all times.

Btw, the husband loved it as much — dare I say more — than Sweetgreen, and even I am coming around to Caesar salads (when they’re made like this at least).

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Kale Caesar Salad

• 1.5 lb kale, washed, destemmed, and chopped
• ½ red cabbage, washed and chopped
• ¼ cup pepitas
• roasted chickpeas
• creamy vegan caesar dressing

Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Vegan Caesar Dressing

• ½ cup hummus
• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1½ tablespoons capers with brine
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Toss chickpeas with oil and spices and distribute on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. While chickpeas cook, prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor.*
5. Assemble salad ingredients and toss with desired amount of dressing (you will likely have some leftover).
6. Top with roasted chickpeas and serve.

Notes

*Add a splash of water for a thinner consistency. The dressing will also harden up a bit in the refrigerator, so feel free to add a tablespoon or two of warm water to thin it out after it's been refrigerated.
**Dressing modified from Minimalist Baker .

3.5.3226

Want more delicious vegan salads? Try these! >>

• Green Apple Green Lentil Quinoa Salad
• Confetti Carrot and Pea Salad
• Sweet Summer Corn Pasta Salad

Weigh in: Do you like Caesar salad? Are you open to kale in yours?

*This post is sponsored by Milk & Eggs but all opinions are my own. I thank you for your support of Whitney E. RD-approved partnerships that make this website possible.