This healthy Vegan Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad recipe is one to please all. Massaged kale, crispy chickpea croutons, and creamy avocado, all get coated in a rich cashew caesar dressing, along with a sprinkle of almond parmesan. It’s full of flavor, texture, & is even better than the original!
Regardless if you’re a fan of Caesar salad or not, this one will make you a Vegan Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad fanatic.
Personally, I’ve always been a salad girl and a caesar salad was always my go to. Thus, I just had to recreate a healthy vegan version of it! It’s better than the real thing and has a twist to it. Massaged kale, crispy chickpea croutons, ripe avocados, creamy egg-free caesar dressing, and homemade almond parmesan.
So if you think salads can’t be addictive, wait until you try my vegan caesar salad recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
- Full of Flavor & Loaded with Nutrition: This recipe is full of nutritious plant-based ingredients, wholesome greens, and healthy fats.
- Quick & Easy: This vegan kale caesar salad recipe comes together in under 45 minutes.
- Restaurant Worthy: Although this Vegan Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad isn’t your average, it is definitely gourmet quality.
Ingredients
- Organic Chickpeas: The typical caesar salad includes croutons, but we’ll be roasting up some chickpea croutons instead to add the perfect amount of crispy texture, fiber, & plant protein!
- Organic Kale: For the greens of this salad, we’ll be using & massaging kale.
- Organic Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing: Raw cashews, capers, garlic, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, & fresh squeezed lemon, get blended together to transpire the creamiest dairy-free caesar dressing. Please don’t skimp or skip!
- Organic Parmesan Cheese: We’ll be using homemade almond parmesan in place of traditional parmesan to sprinkle on the salad.
- Organic Avocado: Fresh, ripe, & sliced avocado completes this vegan caesar salad perfectly.
How to Make
- Chickpea Croutons. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place drained chickpeas on a prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and seasonings. Toss to coat & bake for 25 – 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy.
- Almond Parmesan. To a food processor, add all the parmesan ingredients. Process until completely broken up and a fine powder forms, about 30 seconds.
- Kale. Add the washed and chopped kale to a large mixing bowl along with a healthy pinch of sea salt. Using your clean hands, massage for 1 – 2 minutes to soften the kale.
- Assemble. In the massaged kale bowl, add half of the dressing and give it a good toss. Top with the chickpea croutons, sliced avocado, the remainder of the dressing, extra capers, and a dash of almond parmesan, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips for Preparing Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Perfectly
- Baking: Be sure to flip the chickpeas halfway while roasting. This ensures that everything gets baked to perfection.
- Soak Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften.
- Always Massage the Kale: Trust me on this one! Kale leaves can be very tough & chewy if not messaged. So, make sure to massage the kale leaves for at least 2 minutes – you’ll get a nice hand workout inn.
- Organic Avocado: Use a large ripe avocado for the salad. If your avocado is on the smaller side, I would recommend using two.
Storing & Reheating
Although this Healthy Vegan Caesar Salad recipe is best fresh, it can be saved as leftovers! Just be sure to let the ingredients cool completely before transferring to an air-tight glass container.
Fridge Storage. Transfer salad ingredients to separate air-tight glass containers and refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble them when ready to enjoy.
Reheating. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the crispy chickpeas to an oven-safe bowl. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until warmed through. To serve, pair with the kale, avocado, the vegan caesar dressing, and almond parmesan.
More Vegan Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Crispy Chickpeas
- Vegan Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with Sweet Potato Fries
- Sweet Potato & Chickpea Kale Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- Vegan Chickpea Tzatziki Avocado Salad
Sharing Is Caring!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!
Xoxo.
Christin.
Print
Vegan Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy Vegan Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad recipe is one to please all. Massaged kale, crispy chickpea croutons, and creamy avocado, all get coated in a rich cashew caesar dressing, along with a sprinkle of almond parmesan. It’s full of flavor, texture, & is even better than the original!
Ingredients
Always opt for organic ingredients.
CHICKPEA CROUTONS
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder, plus more to taste
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
VEGAN CAESAR DRESSING
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- ½ cup filtered water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1½ tsp capers
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
ALMOND PARMESAN
- ¼ cup raw almonds
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
SALAD
- 5 cups kale, stems removed, chopped
- Sea salt, pinch
- Ripe avocado(s), sliced
Instructions
- Chickpea Croutons. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place drained chickpeas on a prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and seasonings. Toss to coat & bake for 25 – 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy.
- Almond Parmesan. To a food processor, add all the parmesan ingredients. Process until completely broken up and a fine powder forms, about 30 seconds.
- Kale. Add the washed and chopped kale to a large mixing bowl along with a healthy pinch of sea salt. Using your clean hands, massage for 1 – 2 minutes to soften the kale.
- Assemble. In the massaged kale bowl, add half of the dressing and give it a good toss. Top with the chickpea croutons, sliced avocado, the remainder of the dressing, extra capers, and a dash of almond parmesan, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Baking: Be sure to flip the chickpeas halfway while roasting. This ensures that everything gets baked to perfection.
Soak Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften.
Always Massage the Kale: Trust me on this one! Kale leaves can be very tough & chewy if not messaged. So, make sure to massage the kale leaves for at least 2 minutes – you’ll get a nice hand workout inn.
Organic Avocado: Use a large ripe avocado for the salad. If your avocado is on the smaller side, I would recommend using two.
Storing & Reheating: Transfer salad ingredients to separate air-tight glass containers and refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble them when ready to enjoy. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the crispy chickpeas to an oven-safe bowl. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until warmed through. To serve, pair with the kale, avocado, the vegan caesar dressing, and almond parmesan.
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