This Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad is the perfect refreshing, healthy, & easy-to-make recipe. It features fluffy quinoa, massaged kale, creamy avocado, a homemade cashew Caesar dressing, & almond parmesan. A plant-based twist on the classic & it will not disappoint!
While this Caesar salad isn’t the most traditional, it is definitely gourmet quality.
The combination of fluffy quinoa, massaged kale, creamy avocado, homemade cashew Caesar dressing, & almond parmesan, will have you digging in for more!
This Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad is not only crazy delicious & nutritious, but it’s perfect for an easy meal, as it’s ready in about 15 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Recipe
- Restaurant Worthy: Although this Caesar salad isn’t your average, it’s totally exquisite.
- Quick & Easy: Ready in 15 minutes or less!
- Great for Meal Prep: This Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad stores well in the fridge, making it the perfect recipe for healthy meals throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Organic Quinoa: To provide this salad with a nutty flavor, along with protein & fiber. You can use any color that you have on hand – white, red, or multi-color.
- Organic Kale: For the greens of this salad, we’ll be using & massaging kale.
- Organic Cashew Caesar Dressing: Raw cashews, capers, garlic, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, & fresh lemon, get blended together to transpire the best dairy-free Caesar dressing. Please don’t skip or skimp!
- Organic Parmesan Cheese: We’ll be using homemade almond parmesan in place of traditional parmesan.
- Organic Avocado: Make sure to use a large + ripe avocado.
How To Make
- Cashew Caesar Dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy.
- Almond Parmesan. To a food processor, add the parmesan ingredients. Process until completely broken up & a fine powder forms, about 30 seconds.
- Kale. Add the washed & chopped kale to a large mixing bowl along with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Using your clean hands, massage for 1 – 2 minutes to soften the kale.
- Combine. In the massaged kale bowl, add half of the dressing, all of the quinoa, & half of the almond parmesan. Toss until well combined.
- Serve. Divide the salad between bowls. Top with avocado, the remainder of the dressing, & almond parmesan. Enjoy!
Tips for Making this Vegan Caesar Salad Recipe Perfectly
- Always Massage the Kale. Trust me on this one. Kale leaves can be very tough & chewy if not massaged. So, make sure to massage the kale leaves for at least 2 minutes – you’ll get a nice hand workout in.
- Cool the Quinoa: Be sure to cool the quinoa prior to adding it to the kale, this ensures that the kale doesn’t get soggy.
- Soak Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften. This ensures that the Caesar dressing is creamy + smooth.
Storing & Reheating
This Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad is the perfect recipe for healthy leftovers & meal prep!
Fridge Storage. Transfer the salad to an air-tight glass container & refrigerate for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend adding the avocado until the salad is ready to enjoy!
More Healthy Vegan Caesar Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Chickpea & Avocado Kale Caesar Salad
- Kale Quinoa Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- Vegan Cajun Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
- Loaded Vegan Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing
- White Bean & Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with Sweet Potato Fries
Sharing Is Caring!
If you make this plant-based Caesar salad recipe please leave a review & rating below. I love hearing from you & it helps others learn more about the blog as well. Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more healthy content!
Xoxo.
CMG.
Print
Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Quinoa Kale Caesar Salad is the perfect refreshing, healthy, & easy-to-make recipe. It features fluffy quinoa, massaged kale, creamy avocado, a homemade cashew Caesar dressing, & almond parmesan. A plant-based twist on the classic & it will not disappoint!
Ingredients
Always opt for organic ingredients.
CASHEW CAESAR DRESSING
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- ¾ cup spring water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ 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
KALE
- 5 cups kale, stems removed & chopped
- ¼ fresh lemon
SALAD
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa, cooled
- Ripe avocado(s), sliced
Instructions
- Cashew Caesar Dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy.
- Almond Parmesan. To a food processor, add the parmesan ingredients. Process until completely broken up & a fine powder forms, about 30 seconds.
- Kale. Add the washed & chopped kale to a large mixing bowl along with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Using your clean hands, massage for 1 – 2 minutes to soften the kale.
- Combine. In the massaged kale bowl, add half of the dressing, all of the quinoa, & half of the almond parmesan. Toss until well combined.
- Serve. Divide the salad between bowls. Top with avocado, the remainder of the dressing, & almond parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
Always Massage the Kale. Trust me on this one. Kale leaves can be very tough & chewy if not massaged. So, make sure to massage the kale leaves for at least 2 minutes – you’ll get a nice hand workout in.
Cool the Quinoa: Be sure to cool the quinoa prior to adding it to the kale, this ensures that the kale doesn’t get soggy.
Soak Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften. This ensures that the Caesar dressing is creamy + smooth.
Storing: Transfer the salad to an air-tight glass container & refrigerate for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend adding the avocado until the salad is ready to enjoy!
Leave a Reply