Easy, Tasty Vegan Kale Caesar
There is probably nothing I make more than some variation of this vegan kale caesar salad. I’m talking, like, at least once a week… I swear, it never gets old! Using only fresh, raw ingredients, this surprisingly easy, creamy, tasty salad will make you feel like you’re eating some restaurant-style caesar.. except you won’t feel like shit afterwards! Paired perfectly as a side dish or appetizer with a pasta main or even as a main itself (you can easily top it with your favorite choice of protein), this salad has yet to disappoint.. no matter what the occasion is. But beware, your mouth will probably taste like garlic for up to 24 hours… #worthit.
Also, feel free to play around with this recipe! I use this same dressing on a bunch of different dishes and it seems to work perfectly every time. For example, rather than making a kale salad I often make a room temperature/cold mediterranean orzo salad with fresh mint and roasted chickpeas and lather it in this dressing. You can also use a different type of lettuce if you don’t like kale or have something else laying around the house. Iceburg or romaine lettuce usually works quite well, but I wouldn’t recommend using spinach or arugula as the base. I sometimes also add in whole wheat pasta or quinoa to make it a heartier, more filling main dish.
Another thing to note: As someone who rarely uses exact measurements, the salad (and dressing) do slightly vary in taste depending on how much (or little) of each ingredient I add each time. But it is pretty hard to mess up - so don’t worry too much! Plus, you can always add water or more cashews to dilute the flavor of the dressing if need be. Usually the biggest problem I’ve encountered is adding too much olive oil. Too much of anything else doesn’t seem to be an issue! It just might be more lemon-y or garlicky. So feel free to play around and see what you like best. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do!
Ingredients
Kale (Tuscan/Lacinato Kale is my fav!)
Lemon juice (one lemon)
Handful of raw cashews
Olive Oil (about two tablespoons)
Red Chili Flakes
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
A Few Cloves of Raw Garlic
Bell Pepper (chopped, red is my fav!)
Cucumber (chopped)
Tomato (chopped)
Nutritional yeast - gives it a nutty, cheesy, parmesan-like taste (optional)
Croutons (optional)
Directions
First things first, make sure to wash all of your produce thoroughly (especially the kale as it often times has dirt on it still). Once all the veggies are properly washed and dried first chop the kale with as big or little pieces as you prefer. I usually like to gather all the kale closely together and simply cut through the kale horizontally, as if I were cutting a carrot in thin slices. Put chopped kale in a large salad bowl.
Next, cut the cucumber in half vertically, and then each half into three long slices before chopping into smaller pieces. Place the chopped cucumbers into the bowl with the kale. Then, chop both the bell pepper and tomatoes and once finished, place into the bowl with the kale and the cucumbers. Next, add the croutons (if using). Try to mix the veggies and toppings within the bowl so they’re all evenly distributed.
Now it’s time to make the dressing! The very best part. In a blender squeeze the juice of one medium to large lemon. Next, add a little bit of olive oil (about two tablespoons), a small handful of salt, the fresh ground pepper (to your liking), red chili flakes, cashews, 2-3 cloves of garlic and nutritional yeast (if you choose to use it). Top with a 1/4 cup of water. Blend all ingredients until there are no chunks left and it’s creamy and smooth.
If the dressing is too thick and you can’t swish it around in the blender add a bit more water and blend again. If it’s too watery, add more cashews and/or nutritional yeast.
Pour the dressing over the salad and try to mix thoroughly so everything is covered with the dressing.
Serve and enjoy!