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    Home » Salad » Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

    Published: Mar 31, 2021 by Alla · Leave a Comment

    Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

    Jump to Recipe

    This non-traditional Caesar Salad is made with nutrient-rich kale, roasted chickpea "croutons", and a caesar dressing without anchovies, or raw eggs. With a few tweaks, this can be made vegan.

    kale caesar salad with chickpea croutons

    There is nothing traditional about this Kale Caesar Salad. Traditional is not what I do. I do enjoy the challenge of taking classic recipes and tailoring them towards special dietary needs, taste buds, food allergies or just to give it a healthy twist. That's one of my superpowers.

    Table Of Contents
    1. Classic Caesar vs Kale Caesar Salad
    2. Ingredients
    3. How to Make Chickpea Croutons
    4. Vegan Caesar Dressing
    5. Serving Suggestions
    6. Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

    Classic Caesar vs Kale Caesar Salad

    A traditional caesar salad is typically made with romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, and bread croutons. Usually, paired with a classic caesar dressing made by mixing anchovies into a paste, garlic, olive oil, raw egg, dijon mustard, and a few other ingredients that will vary to each recipe.

    This kale caesar salad recipe uses nutrient-dense kale as a base. Kale is loaded with antioxidants and is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, making it one very healthy option. Feel free to use any kale variety available in your supermarket, or local farmers market. Some of the popular varieties are the most common curly kale, dark green Lacinato (also known as Dinosaur kale), and the purple stemmed Red Russian kale. If you prefer a milder taste, try baby kale, or mix kale with romaine. Any kind will work, and when pressed on time, pick up a bag that's already washed, stemmed, and ready for use.

    My version of this caesar salad is gluten-free as it uses roasted chickpeas instead of the traditional, bread croutons. Make the chickpeas plain and simple, or spice them up with your favorite spices.

    Now let's talk caesar dressing. Whether you have an allergy to fish or eggs, or just don't like those ingredients, I'll show you how to make a caesar dressing without anchovies and eggs, or make it vegan.

    Ingredients

    • Kale - any variety will work. To save time, pick up a prewashed and chopped bag of kale at the store.
    • Chickpeas - spiced and roasted
    • Parmesan Cheese - omit for a vegan option, and substitute with avocado. Or swap with vegan parmesan. 
    • Optional Ingredients - Add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or boiled egg for extra protein.

    Salad Substitutions


    For Dairy-Free and Vegan: swap Parmesan Cheese for Vegan Cheese or omit altogether
    +
    omit Parmesan Cheese in the salad or swap with Avocado Slices

    plate with kale caesar salad avocado chickpeas

    How to Make Chickpea Croutons

    Aside from hummus, I like chickpeas roasted. Not only do they add a nice "crouton" crunch to salads, but they are also great on their own as a snack.

    How to Spice Chickpeas  

    You can use many spice combinations; feel free to experiment and see which combos you prefer. I tend to rotate between these two flavor combinations:

    • Salt
    • Garlic Powder
    • Smoked Paprika

    or

    • Cinnamon
    • Cumin
    • Smoked Paprika
    • Salt

    How to Roast Chickpeas

    1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 
    2. Using a colander or strainer, drain a container or can of chickpeas. I favor this carton of chickpeas over the cans. Rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. It is okay if some of the skins from the chickpeas come apart; just remove them. 
    3. In a bowl, toss the chickpeas with avocado oil, salt, and spices.
    4. Spread coated and spiced chickpeas onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until golden and crispy, about 20 min. 

    Vegan Caesar Dressing

    A flavorsome caesar dressing is creamy and has the right balance of salty, garlicky, and tangy flavors.  

    This vegan caesar dressing is: 

    Velvety & Rich
    Briny
    Garlicky
    Earthy
    Nut Free
    Allergy Friendly

    Even though this caesar dressing is without anchovies or raw eggs, the flavors are all there. Creamy from the dijon mustard, salty from the capers, and balanced with lemon juice and zest.  

    For a dairy-free and vegan version, exclude Parmesan cheese. However, if you insist on that cheesy flavor, swap nutritional yeast for the Parmesan.   

    I like to make this vegan dressing using a Mason jar and an immersion blender, also known as a hand blender or a stick blender. This method is perfect for smaller portions and easy cleanup. Just place all the dressing ingredients into the jar and emulsify. Make sure the base of the jar is slightly wider than the head of the blender. Of course, you could also just use a blender, Vitamix, or make it in a bowl.

    Serving Suggestions

    Another bonus of using a Mason jar is it's the perfect vessel for creating a salad in a jar and transporting it to work, school or picnic.  Plus, kale is ideal for the mason jar salad since kale leaves are dry and tough and will hold up better than romaine lettuce.  To put it together, layer the jar with dressing on the bottom, followed by kale, roasted chickpea croutons, and any other toppings you would like to add, like avocado, a protein, and/or parmesan cheese. Lastly, you have a delicious salad to go! 

    This salad is delicious on its own, but serve it with some pan seared chicken breast for a complete meal.

    If you try this recipe, I would love to hear about it! Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! And if you snapped some photos, tag and share them with me on Instagram.

    Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

    Healthy and reinvented version of the Classic Caesar Salad. Made with a creamy vegan caesar dressing, nutrient rich kale, spiced and roasted chickpeas. This delicious salad is gluten free, nut free and can easily be made dairy free and vegan.  
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 35 mins
    Servings: 2

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 1 - (about 14oz) container chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 bunch kale, any variety, removed from stem and chopped
    • ¼ - ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese, for a dairy free/vegan option - swap with vegan cheese or avocado

    Dressing

    • 2 oz olive oil, extra virgin
    • 3-4 cloves garlic , peeled
    • ½ (about 1 oz) lemon , zested and juiced
    • 1 teaspoon capers
    • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese, optional, omit for dairy free or vegan

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Use a colander or strainer to drain all the water from the chickpeas. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel or a towel (It is okay if some of the skin comes off from the chickpeas, just remove). In a bowl, toss chickpeas with avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder and sea salt. Spread coated chickpeas onto a lined baking sheet. Roast for about 20 min or until golden and crispy.
    • In a Mason jar or a bowl, add all the dressing ingredients. Use an immersion blender/ hand blender to puree and mix the dressing. (Alternatively, you can mix the dressing in a blender or Vitamix.)
    • In a large bowl, toss chopped kale with dressing, enough to coat. Sprinkle with spiced and roasted chickpeas, and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve extra dressing on the side.

    Notes

    To make the salad Dairy Free and Vegan – omit parmesan cheese in the dressing and for salad substitute with avocado or vegan cheese.
    If you don’t have a hand blender - use a regular blender to mix the dressing or whisk well with a fork, just make sure to grate the garlic and chop up the capers for a smoother consistency. 
    Feel free to add avocado, boiled egg, shrimp, or grilled chicken for extra protein. 

    Tools and Specialty Ingredients

    Grater / Shaver
    Cut Resistant Glove
    Baking Sheet
    Parchment Paper
    hand blender
    Immersion Blender
    Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see your creation! Snap a photo, tag @mintykitchen on Instagram and use hashtag #mintykitchen

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    Hi! I’m Alla, the creator, photographer, and chief tester behind Minty Kitchen. I’m passionate about wholesome and healthy food and helping those with dietary restrictions and food allergies. My ultimate goal is to help you Eat Good to Feel Good. I know firsthand how challenging it is to live with food sensitivities and allergies. As a result, I design recipes that align with dietary needs and food allergies, share cooking tips and products I discovered that have helped me on my journey.

    More about me →

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