Kale Caesar Salad (with Homemade Croutons)

This Kale Caesar Salad takes a favorite classic salad and dresses it up with added kale for extra leafy green nutrition. 

There's a reason why just about every restaurant and steak house features some version of the classic Caesar. Mostly, because it tastes so good. 

This Caesar salad, with both homemade croutons and dressing, is deceptively simple, yet it packs lots of flavor. 

Here is what you will need to make this salad. 

Ingredients List:

For the Dressing, you will need garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and mayonnaise. 

This dressing uses mayo instead of a raw egg yolk and olive oil (which is pretty much what mayo is, right?). The dressing will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. 

For the croutons, start with French baguettes which you cut into cubes. Toss them with Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, dried parsley, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. You will bake them in a 400 degree F oven, tossing them until they are browned and toasty. 

For the salad, you will need two hearts of romaine along with a head of kale. I recommend using lacinato (or Tuscan) kale. The flavor is sweeter and more complex and the the color is darker than standard curly kale. Toss the greens with a little lemon zest. 

Finally, you will need either freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese. Just about every component of this salad is infused with Parmesan, so be sure to buy the good stuff. 

Make-ahead Tips for Preparing this Salad:

Both the dressing and the croutons can be made a few days in advance. Keep the dressing in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. 

After making and cooling the croutons, you can keep them in an air tight container for several days as well. Just try not to snack too much on them (they are so good). 

You can also prep the romaine and the kale in advance prior to assembling the salad. Wash and dry the romaine leaves and chop them into bite sized pieces. I like to keep them in a salad spinner in the refrigerator ready to grab when you want to assemble the salad. 

To prepare the kale, after washing it, tear the leaves away from the stems and discard the stems. Then, chop the kale into bite sized pieces. 

I like to plate the salads without the dressing and then let everyone add their own, but you can toss everything together and serve the salads already dressed if you prefer. That's usually easier if you are feeding a crowd. 

Adding kale to a Caesar salad adds a lot of extra nutrition, plus, the contrast of the colors and textures in the greens is lovely. You still get the classic satisfying crunch from the hearts of romaine. 

More Great Green Salads:

Wilted Mixed Green Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese

The Ultimate Layered Salad

Salade Niçoise

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (with another Caesar dressing to try)

Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Salad

Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Welcome to Farmers Market Week! This is the week we celebrate all things found at the Farmers Market. There are over fifteen bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week. From drinks and desserts to entrees and sides, there’s something for everyone this week. 

My other two contributions were Burrito Bowls and an Asparagus Frittata. 

Wednesday Farmers Market Recipes

Savory Recipes

• Balsamic Cucumber Salad from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Braised Half-Runner Beans with Potatoes (Instant Pot) from Palatable Pastime
• Caprese Mac and Cheese from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Grilled Vegetable Platter with Lemon Feta Dip from Books n' Cooks
• Hasselback Potatoes from Blogghetti
• Kale Caesar Salad from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mexican Corn Salad from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Sheet Pan Okra from Magical Ingredients

Sweet Recipes

• Bourbon Apple Butter from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Lavender Peach Shortcakes with Honey Whipped Cream from The Spiffy Cookie
• Zucchini Bread with Nutmeg from Our Good Life

Kale Caesar Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 40 Min

This Kale Caesar Salad takes a favorite classic salad and dresses it up with added kale for extra leafy green nutrition.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 2 romaine hearts
• 1 bunch Lacinto kale (8-12 ounces)
• Lemon zest
• 1/2 cup freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
• Dressing to taste
• Croutons to taste

For the Dressing

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Croutons

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 heaping cups cubed French baguette or other artisan-style bread

Instructions

To Prepare the Salad

1. Wash and dry the the romaine hearts and kale. Remove the stems from the kale by tearing the leaves away from them on both sides. Chop or tear the greens into bite-sized pieces.
2. Place the greens on serving plates or bowls, then top with the croutons, Parmesan cheese shavings, and a sprinkling of lemon zest. Drizzle with the dressing.

To Make the Dressing

1. Whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce at the bottom of a small mixing bowl.
2. Add in the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, and salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

To Make the Croutons

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, Parmesan, herbs and spices. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat.
3. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until browned and crunchy. If the bread is super fresh, it may take longer. Watch closely.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

151.19

Fat (grams)

10.1

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.6

Carbs (grams)

10.83

Fiber (grams)

1.94

Net carbs

8.88

Sugar (grams)

5.11

Protein (grams)

4.84

Sodium (milligrams)

359.97

Cholesterol (grams)

14.21

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2022/08/kale-caesar-salad-with-homemade-croutons.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

kale, caesar

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