All hail the king of Caesars!

This caesar salad is packed with antioxidants, fiber, plant-based protein and healthy fats. Using kale as the base, I topped it with my favorite homemade vegan “parmesan” – a simple blend of nutritional yeast, cashews, garlic, and salt – as well as crunchy roasted chickpeas in place of croutons…get ready to dig in to this healthier made-over favorite!

I paired it with my favorite brand of dressing, marinades, mayo – Primal Kitchen – they replace the saturated fat-containing ingredients (i.e. mayo) with healthier fat-containing avocado oil. Win, win! 

If you’ve ever made a kale salad before, you may know that the most critical step to the best kale salad is to massage it with a little bit of olive oil. This softens it and breaks it down a it, making it easier to eat and digest. Add a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, and you’re golden! 

Plant-Based Kale Caesar Salad (veg)

Print Recipe

This delicious kale caesar salad is packed with nutrients – fiber, plant-based protein, and healthy fats. Swaps out the typical high-fat caesar dressing and refined flour croutons for healthier options. A crowd-pleasing dish that tastes delicious!

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Salad

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• Kale Salad
• 4 cups raw kale, chopped
• 1 TBSP Olive oil
• pinch sea salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan – see below
• 1–2 TBSP Primal Kitchen Caesar Dressing (or other Caesar dressing) (upon serving)
• Roasted Chickpeas:
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Vegan Parmesan
• 1/3 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chickpeas (Dry lightly with paper towel) in a medium sized bowl, and cover with seasonings: sea salt, garlic powder, cayenne powder.
2. Place chickpeas on baking sheet and roast in oven for 40-45 minutes.
3. While chickpeas are roasting, make vegan parmesan by blending all ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles fine parmesan. Set aside. (Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 weeks).
4. Chop kale, add to large bowl, and add olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and massage into kale until soft.
5. Add vegan parmesan to kale salad, top with chickpeas, and serve with caesar dressing. Enjoy!

Even my man was shoveling down this salad, which speaks volumes. He loves healthy food, but he’s also a meat and cheese guy. So don’t let the “health” halo of this dish fool you – it tastes incredible!