High-Protein Kale Caesar Salad

A nutritious, satisfying High-Protein Kale Caesar Salad with spiced chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a creamy cashew dressing. Perfect for a healthy meal!

Author Sarah Cobacho (plantbaes.com)

PREP TIME15

COOK TIME20

TOTAL TIME35

Servings 2

Course Salad

Cuisine Healthy

Keyword caesar salad, cashews, chickpeas, cucumber, easy meal, garlic, hemp seeds, High Protein, kale, kale salad, lemon, nutritional yeast, tomato, Vegan

Ingredients

Salad

1½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 pinch sea salt flakes
1½ tsp olive oil divide
2 slices bread for croutons - I used my "one-ingredient GF buckwheat bread"
4 cups kale finely chopped
9 oz cherry tomatoes chopped in half
1 large cucumber sliced
2 tbsp hemp seeds

Caesar Dressing

¼ cup cashews
2 tsp baby capers
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic peeled
3 tbsp lemon juice
1½ tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce see notes
⅓ cup water

Instructions

Soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Add the chickpeas, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix to combine. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until slightly cripsy.
Chop the bread into your desired crouton size. Spread on a baking tray, and drizzle with the remaining ½ tsp of olive oil. Bake in the oven until golden (the timing will depend on the bread you are using).
For the Caesar Dressing: In a small high-speed blender, add the cashews, capers, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Blend on high speed until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy.
Add the kale to a large mixing bowl. Pour about ¼ of the dressing, and using your hands, massage the kale to soften it.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, bread, hemp seeds, and dressing. Mix to combine and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cashews: For a smoother sauce, consider soaking the cashews. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you can skip this step.

Worcestershire Sauce: Although the original Worcestershire sauce is not vegan, many home-brand versions are vegan, so it's important to read the label when purchasing. If you need a substitute in a pinch, mix ⅔ tamari with ⅓ maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice.

Avoiding Oven Heat: Want to enjoy this salad without turning on the oven? Toast the bread in a toaster and mix in the chickpeas and seasoning. While the chickpeas won't be crunchy, the salad will remain nourishing and delicious.

Nutritional Information - Per Serving