Kale Caesar Salad

With the dressing made from Greek yogurt and limes, this kale Caesar salad is much better for you and tastes just as delicious as a Caesar salad.

We're always on the lookout for healthy lunch options that can last the week. From kale sweet potato salad to a veggie grain bowl.

A couple of years ago we came across a Caesar salad from Gimme Some Oven that is made with Greek yogurt and instantly became a part of our healthy lunch rotation. If you follow this blog, you probably realized we just posted a lime Caesar dressing a couple of days ago. It was made specifically with this kale salad in mind.

What makes this salad a little unique is you can actually put the dressing on in the morning before heading out to work. It actually tastes better when the kale sits in the dressing for a few hours. Kale is very fibrous, so by letting it sit in the dressing you actually soften the kale and make it easier to chew.

It only takes about 5 minutes to make the dressing and that's the main part to this quick and easy meal. The rest is just assembling the salad with whatever fixings you want.

The dressing has a slight hint of a lime flavor which really makes it taste wonderful. I know what you're thinking when you see lime... you're like lime and Caesar dressing don't go together. Believe me it does. But if you don't like lime, you can easily replace with lemon.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Do I Need to Massage Kale?
• Difference Between Curly and Tuscan Kale
• Benefits of Kale
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Salad Recipes
• Kale Caesar Salad
•  

Recipe Ingredients

• Plain Greek yogurt - makes the Caesar dressing healthier.
• Parmesan cheese - used for dressing and salad.
• Limes - adds some acidity.
• Olive Oil - thins out dressing and adds flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce and anchovy paste - gives the Caesar dressing some umami flavor.
• Dijon mustard - adds a slight mustard flavor.
• Garlic - adds flavor.
• Milk - whole milk works best.
• Kale - use curly or Tuscan.
• Croutons or pita cheese - gives you that crunch.
• Cherry tomatoes - any type of tomato works.
• Chicken - optional but I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make dressing by whisking all the ingredients except the milk in a medium bowl. Whisk in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
2. In a large bowl, add the kale, croutons, cheese and dressing and toss to combine.

Do I Need to Massage Kale?

No although it does help. Messaging kale is best if you're eating it immediately. By massaging it with a drizzle of olive oil, you make it softer, less course and less bitter.

But remember how I mentioned above that you can/should dress the salad in the morning. By dressing the salad and letting it sit for a few hours, you will soften the kale and remove the bitterness.

Difference Between Curly and Tuscan Kale

Curly leafed kale is the most common kale you'll see. It has a peppery flavor that can become quite bitter if not massaged before using.

Tuscan kale has longer spear-like leaves with a pebbled appearance and a dark green color. It is less bitter than curly leafed kale and has a nutty sweetness.

Benefits of Kale

Kale has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of kale include

• Among most nutrient-dense foods on planet.
• Great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
• Can lower cholesterol.
• Loaded with antioxidants to help battle disease and illness.
• Good source of minerals most people don’t eat enough of.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don't buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that's your only option.
• It is mentioned before, but massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
• Use freshly grated Parmesan to finish the dressing. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
• While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lime and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
• If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.

Other Salad Recipes

• Fall Harvest Salad
• Mango Kale & Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Chicken Chickpea Pesto Salad

If you’ve tried this kale caesar salad or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.