Kale Caesar Salad

 

This Kale Caesar Salad is everything you love about the original—the creamy dressing, the fabulous croutons, the Parmesan cheese—with tender massaged kale leaves tossed with the crisp romaine. Hello, lunch!

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

• Kale. You can use curly kale or Lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale and Tuscan kale).
• Romaine. The kale gets tender and velvety when you massage it, so romaine is the perfect crisp contrast. 
• Bread. Tear it into pieces to make croutons. I use day-old bread or crusty artisan bread. A homemade sourdough loaf would be perfection too.
• Homemade Caesar Dressing. Store-bought is totally fine, but I love my Caesar Dressing recipe, which is extra creamy and tangy thanks to the addition of Greek yogurt.
• Parmesan Cheese. Use a vegetable peeler to shave it into thick shreds. 
• Air Fryer Chickpeas. Or Roasted Chickpeas. These are optional, but I love the crunch they add to the salad.
• Lime. Optional, for those Sweetgreen vibes.

Protein + Mix-In Ideas

• Steak. Try this Air Fryer Steak, which is tender and juicy.
• Chicken. Baked Chicken Breast is always a favorite.
• More Veggies and Mix-Ins. Cucumber, tomatoes, and Parmesan crisps are also delish in a kale Caesar.

How to Make a Kale Caesar Salad

Massage the Kale. Remove the stems and slice the kale into ribbons. Toss the kale in a big bowl with salt and oil, then massage until it goes from fibrous and crisp to silky-soft.

Add the Romaine. Toss it with the kale. Let them get acquainted with each other while you work on the next steps.

Make the Croutons. Toss the bread with oil and salt, then spread it into an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375ºF for about 15 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is crisp. Crumble the croutons into smaller pieces.

Finish Your Salad. Add half of the Parm, croutons, and chickpeas to the greens, along with half the dressing and a squeeze of lime. Toss, then add the remaining Parm, croutons, and chickpeas and serve with the extra dressing. ENJOY!

What to Serve with Kale Caesar Salad

If you’re serving this salad as a side, pair it with one of these mains.

• Pasta. Like this simple Lemon Pasta recipe.
• Any Protein. This Chicken Marsala would be perfect.
• Risotto. Make your Beet Risotto a filling meal by pairing it with salad.