Insanely good Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad! Topped with crispy croutons and parmesan cheese. Massaging the creamy garlic dressing into the kale makes it extra tender and delicious.
NOTE: If you’d like a recipe that’s vegan, be sure to try my Vegan Caesar Salad!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll LOVE This Salad
- A creamy (anchovy-free) vegetarian caesar salad dressing
- Delicious tender kale leaves (massaging them is the key – keep reading….)
- Nutty parmesan cheese grated over the top
- Homemade croutons for added crunch
Plus, you can add toppings like sous vide chicken breasts, air fryer chicken thighs, instant pot hard boiled eggs, air fryer shrimp, or chopped up almonds to turn this salad into a full meal. More topping ideas below.
Creamy Kale Caesar Salad Dressing
I’ll call the dressing for this salad “caesar-like” because it’s not really traditional in that it doesn’t have lemon juice or anchovies. Instead, this dressing can easily be made with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Dressing Ingredients
- Garlic
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Mayonnaise
That’s it! Just 4-ingredients.
This vegetarian caesar dressing is creamy and tangy with a nice pungent bite from the garlic. It’s simple, but really delicious.
Is Raw Kale Good in Salads?
Yes! But only if you take one important step.
Massage the kale.
The massaging of the kale is what makes it nice and tender.
It turns the kale from something you have to almost gnaw at, into a more delicate texture, much more similar to traditional lettuce.
All those flavors from the dressing really get worked into every little crevice, ensuring that each bite you take is super flavorful.
As an added bonus, that olive oil and mayonnaise really gives your hands a nice moisturizing. At home spa day anyone?
To finish things off, I gave these kale caesar salads a sprinkling of homemade croutons and a little extra parmesan cheese. The result is a crunchy, creamy, tangy salad that’s so good, you’ll want to eat it for both dinner tonight and lunch the next day.
The good thing is that it is a possibility because the kale holds up really nicely for a couple days, it doesn’t get soggy like lettuce or spinach. I always like to make a bit extra just for that reason.
Topping ideas
- Avocado
- Chopped Almonds
- Quick Pickled Radishes (recipe below)
- Breaded Chicken Cubes (recipe below)
Quick Pickled Radishes
- Add 6 thinly sliced radishes, 2 TBSP red wine vinegar and 1 TBSP olive oil to a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Watermelon radishes are really pretty in this salad!
Breaded Chicken Cubes (for a non-vegetarian version)
- Cut 6 chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces and place in a large Ziploc bag with 4 TBSP flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken pieces evenly.
- In a large nonstick pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Wine Pairings
- Vinho Verde
More Recipes Using Kale
- More → 20+ BEST Kale Recipes
More Salad Recipes
Did you try this vegetarian kale caesar salad?
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Full Recipe
Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 bunches kale (tough stems removed and roughly chopped (or 1 16-oz bag chopped kale))
Caesar Dressing:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced or grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
For Topping:
- Homemade Croutons
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine.
- Add the kale and, using your hands, firmly massage the kale for 3-4 minutes, until tenderized slightly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To the bowl of dressed kale, add the croutons and parmesan cheese. Toss gently to combine and serve.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2015. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. Enjoy!
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