Easy Kale Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

This Easy Kale Caesar Salad is a lighter and vegan take on a classic! The perfect side dish beside any lunch or dinner, this healthy, clean eating (and gluten free!) kale salad so good. And the best part? A super simple dressing made with lemon, olive oil and garlic and those homemade croutons!

I mean, how can you go wrong with leafy greens, lemon, garlic topped with hearty, whole grain bread all seasoned to perfection in the form of homemade croutons?

How can you go wrong with a HEALTHY, CLEAN EATING caesar salad that you can actually feel good about eating?

Sign me up for seconds, please!

Rebecca | Always Nourished

Serves 2

Easy Kale Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

This Easy Kale Caesar Salad is a lighter and vegan take on a classic! The perfect side dish beside any lunch or dinner, this healthy, clean eating (and gluten free!) kale salad so good. And the best part? A super simple dressing made with lemon, olive oil and garlic and those homemade croutons!

10 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

30 minTotal Time

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dressing:
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional but highly recommended)
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkle of fresh ground pepper
For the Croutons:
• 2 slices of bread
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon italian spice blend
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Sprinkle of fresh ground pepper
For the Salad:
• 6 cups finely chopped curly kale
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, optional for serving
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, optional for serving*
• 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes, optional for serving
• Lemon wedges, optional for serving

Instructions

For the Dressing:
1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add all ingredients for the dressing. Shake until well combined. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Set a side.
For the Croutons:
2. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat for easier clean up.
3. Cut slices of bread into (roughly) 1/2-inch squares.
4. Arrange the bread squares on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices. Toss to coat the bread squares making sure each one of coated with the seasoning.
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally until the bread is golden brown and hard and crispy.
6. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
For the Salad:
7. While the croutons are baking, prepare the kale.
8. Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Pour about 1/2 of the dressing over the kale. Using your hands, ‘massage’ or rub the dressing into the kale pieces. After about a minute of ‘massaging’ the kale, it should look soft and wilted. Transfer massaged kale to a serving bowl or dish.
9. Sprinkle the hemp seeds, nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese - see note), tomatoes over top of the salad (if using) along with the slightly cooled croutons.
10. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and the remaining dressing to drizzle over top.

Notes

*Can use parmesan cheese if not vegan.

This recipe makes enough for 2 good-sized portions of salad.

This salad taste best when eaten immediately as the flavour and texture change if left in the fridge over night.

7.8.1.2

71

https://www.nourishedtheblog.com/vegan-kale-caesar-salad/

NOURISHED. | www.nourishedtheblog.com | 2017

This recipe may look like a lot of ingredients and many, many steps but I promise it’s not as bad as it looks!

Caesar salad is beyond a classic and I can’t really think of anyone who truly doesn’t love a big bowl of Caesar. It’s creamy, super savoury, and garlicky with tons of crunch. I mean, really.

But today I take that classic, creamy caesar and transform it into a magical lightened up and healthy (read: totally vegan/plant-based possible and gluten free) bowl of good-for-you deliciousness.

Because kale. And because I love me a good kale salad from time to time. (And if you like the recipe you will also love this kale salad and this one too!!)

And because this olive oil dressing is pretty much a flavour explosion.

And because only clean eating, wholesome and nourishing ingredients used here.

MORE ABOUT THIS EASY KALE CAESAR SALAD RECIPE…

This caesar salad uses curly kale instead of the traditional romaine lettuce. By finely chopping the kale and using lots of the lemony dressing to massage the kale gives a super tender, nutrient-packed based. And trust me – you won’t be missing the traditional romaine lettuce here. 

And most importantly, I can’t get over this dressing! Flavourful to the MAX. It’s an olive oil – Dijon – tamari/gluten free soy sauce – fresh garlic – lemon combination that is sure to impress. I stir in a little nutritional yeast, which is optional but highly recommended for a kind of cheesy, kind of nutty flavour while still keeping a cheesy texture if you’re going for a plant-based salad. Otherwise, load this baby up with parmesan cheese. 

And then those crunchy croutons! Homemade croutons are the best! If you’ve never made your own croutons at home… DO IT NOW! They are just so good.

I use any bread that you have on hand, really (gluten free, whole grain, stale, those crusty ends of the loaf that always seem to get eaten last – whatever you got!). It’s roughly chopped into small pieces and seasoned with just a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and my favourite spice combo as of late – garlic powder, italian blend and sweet paprika. (<– I put this combo on everything!!)

The best part? These croutons aren’t overly greasy or salty like a lot of store-bought, boxed varieties (and no crazy preservatives or additives here!!) – just lightly seasoned in a super addictive, you better make extras kind of way because they are super easy to snack on while this salad is coming together. 

I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO! IF YOU GIVE THIS EASY KALE CAESAR SALAD RECIPE A TRY LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND BE SURE TO SHARE A PICTURE ON INSTAGRAM USING THE TAGS @ALWAYSNOURISHED AND #ALWAYSNOURISHEDFOOD. I LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU’RE COOKING!

This recipe was originally published in May 2016. Photos and recipes have been updated and re-posted in August 2018. 

RELATED POSTS:

Chopped Veggie Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing Lemony Vegetable Pasta Salad Lemony Kale Salad with Cranberries and Gorgonzola