The Best Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
A healthier version of caesar salad made with superfood kale and a creamy tahini-based dressing. Topped with crispy chickpeas and homemade sourdough croutons, this salad is sure to be a hit!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 480kcal
Ingredients
For the crispy chickpeas and croutons
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 ounces sourdough bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin oil oil
- fine sea salt
For the salad
- 2 large bunches of lacinato kale stems removed and chopped into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
- 14 ounces romaine about 2 medium-size heads, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 batch of the best vegan caesar salad dressing
- vegan cashew parmesan for serving see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F then line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Add the chickpeas to one, sprinkle with garlic powder then use your hands to roll them around until evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
- Place the cubed bread on a second baking sheet then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to combine then add them to the oven with the chickpeas and bake for an additional 7 minutes, until light golden brown and crisp.
- Meanwhile make the dressing by combining tahini, lemon juice, mustard, capers, garlic, sea salt & pepper, and water to thin. Whisk together until smooth and add more water if needed to thin. You shouldn't need more than 4 tablespoons of water total.
- In a large bowl, add 1/2 of the kale with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Use your hands to gently massage the dressing into the kale until it starts to reduce, for about 10-15 seconds. Add the second 1/2 f the kale with the remaining dressing and repeat. If prepping in advance, stop here and store the kale in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Continue to last step when ready to serve.
- Add the romaine to the bowl with the kale and toss to combine. You may need to use two separate bowls depending on how large your bowl is. Top with croutons, crispy garlic chickpeas, tomatoes, avocado and vegan cashew parmesan. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts are an estimate and may vary depending on specific ingredients you choose.
To make your own vegan cashew parmesan, combine 1 cup raw cashews with 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a food processor (or NutriBullet) and pulse until finely ground.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9844IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 6mg