Kale Caesar Salad
Kale massaged with the dressing an hour ahead so it softens without wilting, under a proper anchovy Caesar and sourdough croutons. The one salad that is better made in advance.
Photograph credit: Kale Caesar Salad by L.A. Foodie · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Photograph credit: Baby kale caesar salad, red caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, pickled hearts of palm,… by T.Tseng · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
How to Make Kale Caesar Salad
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Pound the anchovies and garlic to a paste in a mortar, or chop them together very finely on a board.
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Whisk in the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy.
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Stir in the grated Parmigiano and the pepper. It should be thicker than a vinaigrette and coat the back of a spoon.
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Put the shredded kale in a large bowl with the salt and two-thirds of the dressing.
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Massage it with your hands for a full 2 minutes, squeezing and rubbing the leaves. They will darken, soften and reduce in volume by about a third.
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Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
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Toss the sourdough with the 3 tablespoons of oil and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and crisp at the edges but still chewy in the middle.
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Toss the croutons through the kale with the remaining dressing, and finish with shaved Parmigiano.
Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Rescuing a split sauce.
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Small Things That Help
- Two minutes of massaging, properly. Thirty seconds does nothing.
- Strip the stems out. They never soften and they ruin every mouthful they are in.
- The dressing is raw egg yolk and oil, so keep it in the fridge until it goes on the kale.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.
Serving Suggestions
- Grilled chicken
- A cold Chablis
- Roasted tomatoes
Storing & Reheating Kale Caesar Salad
Dressed kale keeps 2 days refrigerated and is arguably better on day two. Add the croutons at the last minute.
Kale Caesar Salad FAQ: Common Questions
How long does Kale Caesar Salad take to make?
20 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour of marinating, so allow 1 hour 30 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 4.
Kale Caesar Salad Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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