This delicious Kale Caesar Salad is rich and delicious with a shortcut dressing so good, you’ll almost want to drink it!
Everyone loves a great caesar salad topped with bacon and croutons and we love a fresh kale salad too. Combining the two makes for the most perfect meal or side dish!
Panera Power Kale Caesar Salad and the Sweetgreen Kale Caesar are menu favorites but they can’t compare to this fantastic homemade version!
A Hearty Salad
Kale is a superfood packed full of flavor and nutrition, it only makes sense that it would be a good stand-in for the more traditional romaine lettuce.
One thing I love about using kale in salads in place of lettuce is that leftover salad (even with dressing) will last a couple of days in the fridge! Just leave the croutons aside if you’re making this ahead of time.
TIP: Leave out the croutons for a low carb version!
What’s in a Kale Caesar Salad?
VEGGIES Kale, of course, but feel free to add in some romaine or spinach as well.
TOPPING/FILLING Bacon, croutons, and Parmesan are favorite topping ingredients for this crisp and crunchy salad.
DRESSING The real star here is the creamy Caesar dressing! While my traditional caesar salad recipe has a from scratch dressing, this one starts with mayonnaise as a base. The result is a creamy and delicious dressing in no time at all!
Make it a Meal: Grilled chicken or shrimp are the perfect toppers to convert this from side to a full meal. Serve it with garlic bread.
While chicken can be added to make a chicken caesar salad, the addition of pasta makes for a great caesar pasta salad too!
Tips & Tricks
- After rinsing and patting dry the kale leaves, gently “massage” each piece between your hands until the leaves are somewhat softened and a darker green.
- Be sure to cut the spine out of each leaf before tearing it into bite-sized pieces. Tender kale is the result, but it still has all the healthy benefits!
- Kale Caesar dressing will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
Our Fave Salads
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Fresh Corn Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad
Did you love this Kale Caesar Salad? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup croutons store-bought or homemade
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup parmesan shredded
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste* see note
- fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients until smooth.
- Wash kale and dry well. Gently "massage" the kale with your hands until the leaves are somewhat softened and a darker green. While this is optional, it makes for a more tender leaf.
- In a large salad bowl, combine kale and croutons. Top with dressing as desired and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with ⅓ cup parmesan cheese and bacon bits.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
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Thanks the recipe was amazing
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Lena!
Very good, presents nicely. Served with roasted acorn squash and kale Caesar salad. And a glass of white wine, of course! Nice dinner for guests.
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Gale! That sounds like a delicious pairing :)
This was very good. I massaged the kale 3 times and made recipe exactly as stated. Take the time to mix the dressing in well. The bacon is essential. Very good!
So happy to hear that, Gale!