Caesar salad is a long time favorite of mine. It is so simple which makes it an easy side dish to pair with any meal. It's my salad of choice to go with a slice of pizza. In my opinion - the creamier the dressing, the better the salad! And this recipe definitely has a creamy dressing to meet the standards.
The base of this salad is kale. Kale is a crunchy green that contains a tough rib and slightly bitter taste overall. I think the texture of kale makes this salad so perfect. But there are some essential steps that cannot be omitted when making any type of kale salad.
Remove the ribs when you chop the kale. The ribs are very tough and not super pleasant to get in a mouthful of salad. Remove and discard them. Chop the kale to your liking - large or small pieces. It doesn't matter! Not going to lie, I sometimes cheat on the chopping and purchase the big bag of pre-chopped kale from the produce section. Makes the mess and the work a little bit easier this way.
You must massage the kale. "Massage?" You betcha! Massage that kale with olive oil to tenderize it and make it easier to chew and digest. It also gives the kale a milder flavor. Just a few minutes will do. Really rub the kale between your fingers until the leaves feel softer.
This salad can also be made with romaine lettuce or spinach. But kale holds the creamy dressing the best! It's just like choosing the right pasta for the sauce. You need one with ridges and a the right shape to hold all the flavors you are about to add.
The creamy salad dressing has a plain greek yogurt base. Any brand or any fat % will do, but my favorite is FAGE 2% milk-fat. You can thin the dressing out with a little bit of water in the end if it turns out too thick. There are two options for the cheesy and salty flavor to the dressing. The first is the traditional parmesan route of a typical caesar salad! So yum! The second option is nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a supplement for those with dairy food allergies. It has a naturally cheesy flavor, almost like the cheesy powder that you sprinkle on popcorn at the movie theater. You can find it at the grocery store in the health food isle.
Finally the crispy chickpeas! These are my favorite and so simple! Just sprinkle some creole seasoning on them, bake, and crunch away! I love to make extras and eat them as a snack! Plus this adds more fiber and protein to your salad. Extra chickpeas can be refrigerated for freshness.
This salad is POWERFUL! There are so many good foods packed into it. I promise you it has been tested out on many family members including kids, teens, dads, and grandmas. If you tell people it is caesar salad, they will eat it! They don't have to know you put chickpeas, greek yogurt, and kale in it until after they eat it -- unless they have a food allergy of course! This salad can become a fan favorite side dish for your next pizza night, too!
Stay safe and well everyone! Let me know if you try out this recipe! And be sure to tell me what you paired it with -- whether pizza, pasta, or a glass of wine! You cannot go wrong. It is your life!
Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons
Ingredients:
1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp + 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tsp creole seasoning (I used Tony Chacheres, but you can also make your own)
8 oz or 1 bunch of kale, chopped with ribs removed
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shaved parmesan or asiago cheese (optional)
sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine chickpeas, 1 tsp olive oil, and creole seasoning. Toss together.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Spread seasoned chickpeas on pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Gently toss. Bake for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl, gently massage kale with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Kale should feel softer in texture. Massage for about two minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp olive oil, greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese. Whisk together. If dressing is too thick, add 1 tsp of water at a time to reach desired consistency.
Pour dressing over massaged kale. Toss well to evenly coat the kale in dressing. You may want to use your hands for this.
Top with half of the crispy chickpeas! (You can refrigerate the rest for snacking or another salad!)
Garnish with shaved parmesan or asiago cheese and everything bagel seasoning.
Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving. Either will do!
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