After countless rounds of testing, we’ve finally nailed the ultimate kale Caesar salad! Tender chopped kale is tossed in a creamy, garlicky dressing, then finished with crunchy croutons and generous shavings of salty Parmesan cheese. It’s everything you love about a classic Caesar, but with bolder flavors—and it’s a total crowd-pleaser.
My husband Danny and I have been trying to perfect our Caesar salad recipe for the past year, and it's finally here! If you know anything about me, you know I love punchy, bold flavors, and this kale salad is no exception.
Bites of hearty kale, homemade croutons, and a vibrant salad dressing intermingle in this extra-special recipe. For more vibrant salads, try my tuna Caesar salad, apple radicchio and walnut salad, or spicy jalapeno watermelon salad.
👩🏽🍳 Cook's Notes
- Massaging raw kale ensures softer, more tender leaves while maintaining an ideal crunchy salad texture.
- Unlike a traditional Caesar dressing, a mayonnaise-based dressing eliminates the headache and stress of making the dressing entirely from scratch. There's no emulsion or raw eggs.
- The combination of hearty kale and rich flavors makes it a serious reader favorite!
Ingredient Notes
Kale: I prefer lacinato kale (aka Tuscan or dino kale) because it stands up slightly better to the dressing, but curly kale is great too. Extra greens? Try this kale pasta recipe.
Anchovies: I know anchovies may sound scary to some of you, but we're only using 1 here, and it does not make the Caesar fishy! Instead, it provides much-needed saltiness and umami flavor that balances out the rest of the ingredients.
TIP: Ortiz makes my favorite brand of anchovies. Vegetarian? Sub in ½ teaspoon of finely minced capers for the anchovy.
Bread: No time to make homemade croutons? Use your favorite store-bought option.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Trim the kale, removing any tough stems. Chop into 2-inch to 3-inch pieces, then wash the kale leaves (preferably in a salad spinner).
Arrange them on a kitchen towel to dry. You don't want any soggy leaves!
Step 2: While the kale is drying, make the croutons. Tear the bread into small bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven until toasty and golden brown.
TIP: The croutons will continue to cook slightly even after being removed from the oven, so take them out just before they've reached your ideal texture. Immediately transfer them to a separate container to halt any carryover cooking.
Step 3: Prepare the dressing by mashing the anchovy and garlic into a paste.
Step 4: In a small bowl, combine the anchovy paste with the dijon mustard, parm, mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season to taste.
Step 5: Place kale into a large salad bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Massage the leaves for 1-2 minutes until they soften.
Step 6: Toss the kale, croutons, and dressing together. Top with shaved cheese, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Use this recipe as a base and play with it as you see fit. I recommend trying it once as is and then adjusting it to your own flavor palette if needed.
- Season well. An extra pinch of salt and black pepper can really elevate all of the flavors in the salad!
- Use the "dip" test to taste your dressing. Classic Caesar salad is quite creamy, while our version is more punchy, salty, and tangy. To check for seasoning, dip a piece of kale into the dressing.
- Loosen the dressing as needed. The dressing is on the thicker side, but if the kale is massaged well with enough oil, it should be the right consistency when you dip it into the dressing to taste. If it still feels too thick, you can thin it out with a bit of olive oil or water.
Recipe FAQs
You can substitute ½ teaspoon finely chopped capers for a vegetarian version. You can also use a dash of fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies.
Massaging kale release helps tenderize the slightly tough, fibrous texture of the leaves until they're softened. It also reduces bitterness!
Toss in some grilled chicken or crispy chickpeas! Or, serve alongside my salmon pasta without cream.
Add them to a pasta sauce like my blistered tomato pasta or make anchovy butter! The butter would be great tossed with potatoes or spread on toast. Any leftover anchovies can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 - 6 weeks.
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Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- ½ bunch lacinato kale, or curly kale | thick ribs removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces to yield 5 cups loosely packed kale leaves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 cup crusty bread, torn into bite-sized pieces (measure after tearing) | preferably sourdough
- 3 tablespoons shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
For the Dressing:
- 1 anchovy filet, or ½ teaspoon capers
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated | plus more if desired
- Salt and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- ⅓ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Prep the Salad:
- Preheat the oven: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 °F / 204 °C.
- Prep the kale: Wash ½ bunch lacinato kale in cold water, preferably in a salad spinner if available. Arrange leaves on a large, clean kitchen towel and allow them to dry.
- Massage the kale: To a large salad bowl, add kale, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Err on the side of less salt.Massage the kale by running your fingers through the leaves as you squeeze and rub them together. The whole process should take about 1 - 2 minutes, and as you continue massaging the leaves, they will soften considerably. Once the leaves feel soft and tender, set aside.
- Bake the croutons: On a parchment-lined baking sheet, coat 1 cup crusty bread with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.Bake for 6 - 8 minutes, flipping the croutons in between until they are golden-brown and crunchy around the edges but still slightly soft in the center (they will continue to cook slightly after removing from the oven, so err on the slightly softer side). Remove from the baking sheet and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Dressing:
- Make the anchovy paste: Mince 1 anchovy filet (or capers), then place the grated 1 small garlic clove and a pinch of salt on top of the minced anchovy. Mash the anchovy, garlic, and salt together until it forms a paste; to help create a paste, tilt your knife at a 30 degree angle and scrape the knife across the anchovy mixture. Next, mince the mixture with your knife for a few seconds, then repeat, scraping then mincing until it forms a paste.
- Finish the dressing: Transfer paste to a small bowl, and whisk in ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and ⅓ cup full-fat mayonnaise. The dressing should now be a thick paste. Slowly drizzle in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Taste the dressing: To test if the dressing suits your preferences, dip a piece of the kale into the mixture and taste it. The bite should taste garlicky, with a slight bit of acidity and saltiness.You want it to taste slightly less “zingy” than you want it, because when you eat the salad, you'll be eating many bites, so the punchy flavors and zinginess will build up over time. Note: Too strong or thick? Dilute the mixture with some olive oil (or water if you don't want to add more oil). Too subtle? For additional zinginess, add more garlic or mustard; for additional saltiness, add more salt or anchovy; for additional acidity, add more lemon juice.
Serve:
- Once you're satisfied, toss the kale with about half the dressing to start. If desired, add the remaining half of the dressing, along with the croutons, and shaved parmigiano cheese. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Dressing: Dressing can be made-ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.
- Make-Ahead: I don't recommend fully prepping the kale in advance, but you can definitely wash, dry, wrap it in a paper towel, then store in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for a day or two.
- Homemade croutons can be prepared in advance, stored in the freezer for up to 4 weeks and reheated at 325°F (163°C) until warm and toasty.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Never knew making Caesar dressing would be so easy! I love the kick that the garlic and anchovies bring to this dish. Appreciate the detailed steps for crispy croutons and fresh kale.