Kale Caesar salad is a twist on the classic with sliced kale leaves as the greens, plus fresh Parmesan and croutons and a creamy Caesar dressing. Great for a side salad or as healthy meal prep!

I had a mini Caesar food fest on the blog earlier this year.

I shared my easy Caesar salad dressing (that’s a total cheater’s version. But you’ll love how easy it is and how amazing it tastes!) And I shared my easy chicken Caesar salad, which is our go-to way to use it.

I also shared my Brussels sprout Caesar salad, which is a fun twist on the classic that uses shaved Brussels sprouts instead of romaine or mixed greens.

Today’s recipe is another twist. Kale Caesar salad uses thinly sliced kale leaves as the salad greens and they are tossed with shaved Parmesan and crunchy croutons.

Then it all gets mixed with the creamy Caesar salad dressing and you’ve got yourself a delicious, healthy and fun side salad!

It’s got a great variety of textures and flavors that really complement each other. The lemony-garlic dressing goes so well with those hearty kale strips.

You could make it for the holidays or just for a regular family dinner. It also can be prepped ahead so it would work well for a healthy lunch to pack for the office.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make kale Caesar salad. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on kale Caesar salad:

• This is a fairly simple salad. It’s just the kale, croutons and Parmesan cheese, plus the dressing. Very classic.
• You could add other salad add-ins, however. Halved cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, cucumbers, olives and sliced red onions are delicious additions. Or pick your favorite salad toppings and use those.
• Add a protein, too, if you want to make this more of a main dish. Grilled or roasted chicken, shrimp or salmon would be great here. Sliced hard-boiled eggs or crispy roasted chickpeas would be a good option for a vegetarian protein.
• I used some store-bought croutons (they even have a Caesar-style flavor – sooo good!) but homemade would be fabulous if you want to make some.
• You can definitely prep this salad in advance if needed by slicing up the kale a day or two ahead of time. (Store it in a plastic bag or covered container in the fridge until you’re ready to toss everything together.)

Also, I wanted to share some tips on slicing kale. Not gonna lie, it’s kind of a pain, but oh, it’s so worth it to use in kale salads!

How to slice kale:

Remove the kale leaves from the tough center stem. Wash the kale well and pat dry. You don’t want extra water in your salad.

Pile the kale leaves up and roll them together in bunches. Finely chop each bunch until all the kale has been finely chopped.

Notes on the Caesar salad dressing:

– I use a cheater’s homemade version of Caesar salad dressing. It doesn’t include anchovies, which are more traditional, but this means I can whip it up anytime.

– If you do want to make a Caesar dressing with anchovies, your can add a teaspoon of anchovy paste or 3 small oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped. (It helps to mash them with the side of a knife along with the garlic and salt on your cutting board.)

– This version also doesn’t have raw egg, which means no tempering to eliminate any risk for salmonella. However, you could add a tablespoon of mayo or even Greek yogurt if you’d like a creamier texture to your dressing.

– To make it, you just have to combine everything in a jar and shake it up or put it all together in a bowl and whisk it well.

Feel free to make the dressing ahead of time too. It’ll keep for up to a week in the fridge. Keep it in a covered container.

You will need to rewhisk or re-shake your dressing before using it to get it mixed back up.

Or you could use a store-bought Caesar dressing if you prefer. Totally fine.

Whether or not you are already a kale lover, I hope you give this kale Caesar salad a try! You could add it to your holiday table next week or save it for some healthy lunches in the new year.

Finally, I’ll be off next week enjoying Christmas break with my family. But I have one more healthy recipe coming your way before the new year.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. Check out these other kale salad recipes:

• Winter kale salad with pomegranates and feta cheese
• Farro, kale and strawberry salad
• Kale apple salad with cheddar and pecans
• Kale quinoa salad
• Citrus kale salad

Yield: 4-6 servings

Kale Caesar salad

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Kale Caesar salad is a twist on the classic with sliced kale leaves as the greens, plus fresh Parmesan and croutons and a creamy Caesar dressing. Great for a side salad or for some healthy meal prep!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 large bunch of kale, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup croutons

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 4-5 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add the sliced kale and drizzle with the 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Use your fingers to gently massage the oil into the kale leaves to help tenderize them. Let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Add the halved tomatoes and Parmesan cheese to the bowl. Toss lightly to get the salad mixed.
3. Next, make the dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, starting with about 2/3rds, adding more as needed to get the salad well coated.
5. Allow the salad to sit for another 5 minutes to help the flavors meld.
6. Add croutons to the salad and stir gently to get them mixed in.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This is a simple salad -- just the kale, croutons and Parmesan cheese, plus the dressing. Very classic. You could add other salad add-ins, however. Halved cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, cucumbers, olives and sliced red onions are delicious additions. Or pick your favorite salad toppings and use those.

Add a protein, too, if you want to make this more of a main dish. Grilled or roasted chicken, shrimp or salmon would be great here. Sliced hard-boiled eggs would be a good option for a vegetarian protein.

I used some store-bought croutons (they even have a Caesar-style flavor – sooo good!) but homemade would be fabulous if you want to make some.

You can definitely prep this salad ahead if needed by slicing up the kale a day or two ahead of time. (Store it in a plastic bag or covered container in the fridge until you’re ready to toss everything together.)

To slice the kale: Remove the kale leaves from the tough center stem. Wash the kale well and pat dry. You don’t want extra water in your salad. Pile the kale leaves up and roll them together in bunches. Finely chop each bunch until all the kale has been finely chopped.

For the dressing: I use a cheater’s homemade version of Caesar salad dressing. It doesn’t include anchovies, which are more traditional, but this means I can whip it up anytime.

If you do want to make a Caesar dressing with anchovies, your can add a teaspoon of anchovy paste or 3 small oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped. (It helps to mash them with the side of a knife along with the garlic and salt on your cutting board.)

This version also doesn’t have raw egg, which means no tempering to eliminate any risk for salmonella. However, you could add a tablespoon of mayo or even Greek yogurt if you’d like a creamier texture to your dressing.

To make it, you just have to combine everything in a jar and shake it up or put it all together in a bowl and whisk it well.

Feel free to make the dressing ahead of time too. It’ll keep for up to a week in the fridge. Keep it in a covered container. You may need to re-whisk or re-shake your dressing before using to get it mixed back up.

Or you could use a store-bought Caesar dressing if you prefer. Totally fine.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 203Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 487mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g