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+ servings
Kale caesar salad on a white plate with croutons

Kale Caesar Salad

A kale Caesar salad that's full of flavor, made with homemade Caesar dressing and croutons. An elegant but healthy side dish or main course.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yield:6 salads

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Large bowl
  • large baking sheet
  • Medium bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1 large bunch kale thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped; approximately 8 cups total
  • shaved parmesan

For the Croutons

For the Caesar Dressing

  • 6 flat anchovies from jar or can of anchovies
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 egg yolks from large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice more or less to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh, finely grated parmesan

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Place roughly chopped kale leaves in large bowl and set aside.
  • Place torn bread pieces on baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over, then sprinkle salt and pepper over. Use hands to toss and coat bread pieces fully in oil, then spread bread out across baking sheet in one even layer.
  • Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake 10 minutes, tossing bread occasionally to brown evenly. After 10 minutes, transfer croutons to medium bowl and set aside. Note: for crispier croutons, bake croutons up to 15 minutes total, tossing croutons occasionally. When desired doneness is achieved, transfer croutons to bowl and set aside.
  • With sharp kitchen knife, roughly chop anchovies and garlic clove, then transfer ingredients to food processor bowl. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and dijon mustard.
  • Secure lid on food processor and process ingredients until anchovies and garlic are finely chopped. Keep food processor running and slowly drizzle neutral oil into food processor bowl, drop by drop. Mixture should become thick after approximately 50% of oil has been added.
  • Once mixture thickens, continue adding oil slowly, now in 1-tablespoon increments rather than drop by drop.
  • When all oil is incorporated, add grated parmesan to food processor. Pulse 1 to 2 times or until parmesan and dressing mixture are just combined.
  • Pour desired amount of salad dressing over kale leaves in large bowl. Use hands to gently massage dressing into kale, making sure to coat as many pieces as possible. When satisfied, top salad with croutons and parmesan shavings, then serve immediately.

Notes

  • Blending Dressing: Instead of a food processor, you can use an immersion blender to make the dressing. Just follow the steps in my Whole30 Caesar Dressing recipe.
  • Caesar Dressing: If desired, replace egg yolks and neutral oil with ¾ prepared mayonnaise.
  • Parmesan: Top your salad with shaved parm, not grated. Grated parm will make the dressing look clumpy, but shaved parm will stay nice and pretty.
  • Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: See the Minimalist Baker's 5-Minute Vegan Caesar Dressing recipe.
Recipe yields approximately 4 large salads or 6-8 small salads, depending on preferred portion sizes. For heartier salads, feel free to add grilled chicken or another protein if desired.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1salad with dressing | Calories: 351kcal | Protein: 10g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 397mg | Total Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 14g | Vitamin A: 9069IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 3mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik