Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
This Vegan Kale Caesar Salad is tossed with a creamy plant-based caesar dressing, sprinkled with crispy chickpeas and topped with cashew parmesan. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy kale!
I’ve been eating this hearty Vegan Kale Caesar Salad almost every night. It’s a great option for a wholesome lunch, dinner or side dish. It’s perfect for meal prep, too! It comes together in 30 minutes and might just be your new favorite salad.
Kale, kale, kale!
This salad uses kale as the base which is a slight twist from a traditional caesar salad, but such a good one!
Curly kale works really well in this salad. Tuscan kale would be great, too!
Kale offers a load of nutrients, including iron, vitamin K, and antioxidants. A lot of people stray from kale due to it’s hard and crunchy texture. To soften the kale, we’re going to massage it. Massaging the kale helps to soften the tough texture and removes the naturally bitter taste of kale.
About this plant-based caesar dressing
This plant-based twist on Caesar dressing is made with cashews and tahini which provide the ultimate creaminess. The hemp seeds add a great amount of plant protein and other vitamins. The dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice, capers, salt and pepper help to mimic the traditional flavor of a caesar dressing — without the eggs, cheese, oil or anchovies!
Crispy chickpeas as a crouton replacement
Instead of using croutons as in traditional caesar salads, this salad uses chickpeas that are air fried until crispy and crunchy. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also roast them in the oven.
Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber and other essential nutrients like iron, zinc, folate, and B vitamins.
Cashew parmesan cheese
Cashews are highly underrated in my opinion, and they are certainly the star of the show in this recipe!
My vegan cashew parmesan cheese alternative is so good you won’t miss the real thing. It’s made from cashews (hello healthy fats and nutrients) and ready in literally 2 minutes. It’s a great healthy alternative to parmesan cheese that’s traditionally tossed into caesar salads. You’ll have some leftover, and I promise you’ll be sprinkling it on everything!
More salad recipes you’ll love
All vegan and gluten-free.
- Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Thai Quinoa Salad
- Sweet Peach & Crispy Chickpea Kale Salad
- Buffalo Tofu Salad
Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large bunch kale, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or lemon juice), for massaging the kale
- â…“ cup homemade cashew parmesan
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds, for sprinkling (optional)
- 2 tbsp pepitas, for sprinkling (optional)
Crispy Chickpeas
Dressing
- ¾ cup water
- â…“ cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp capers
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the chickpeas with olive oil (if using), salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add to an air fryer basket and air fry for 15-20 minutes at 400℉, tossing every 5 minutes.
- Make the dressing by adding the water, drained cashews, hemp seeds, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, capers, dijon mustard, salt and pepper to a blender and blending until smooth.
- Add the washed and chopped kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (or lemon juice) and massage by hand for 30-60 seconds to soften the texture and remove some of the bitterness.
- Toss the kale with the dressing and let it marinate in the fridge while you wait for the chickpeas to be done.
- Add the crispy chickpeas, cashew parmesan, hemp seeds (if using), and pepitas (if using). Toss everything together and serve!
Notes
- I use curly kale, but any type of kale should work.Â
- There may be leftover dressing and cashew parmesan, which will stay good covered in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Sooooo good!
I’m so happy you liked it, Amelie! Thanks so much for sharing your review and star rating 🙂