This Vegan Roasted Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad recipe is a simple yet flavorful recipe you'll want to make on repeat. It's loaded with crispy roasted chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, and a perfectly creamy, savory dressing that ties it all together. Hearty, satisfying, and packed with texture, it's a dish that vegans and non-vegans alike will love.
A classic Caesar salad is hard to beat. It's crunchy, flavorful, and addictive. However, as much as I love the original, this healthy kale Caesar salad might be even better. It's packed full of nutrient-dense ingredients and finished with a creamy, oil-free dressing. This is one of those recipes that everyone will love-especially if you also enjoy hearty salads like my vegan crispy rice salad or this fresh spring roll salad with peanut dressing.
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Roasted Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad Ingredients:
This chickpea Caesar salad is my go-to easy vegan salad. It's made with simple ingredients you can pick up at your local grocery store or easily order online, and if you're looking for more nourishing plant-based meals, I also love recipes like this simple chickpea curry or my cozy lentil shepherd's pie.
Kale Salad:
- Kale: Kale is the star of this kale salad, bringing a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber. You can use either curly kale or lacinato kale (dinosaur kale).
- Chickpeas: The chickpeas are used to make crunchy croutons to add on top of this delicious vegan kale Caesar salad. If you love cooking with chickpeas, you'll also love these Marry Me Chickpeas, which is another easy, protein-packed meal.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts offer a delightful crunch and a rich, buttery flavor, plus a little extra protein too!
- Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos provide a savory, umami-rich flavor that mimics traditional soy sauce with a touch of sweetness. They're perfect for achieving that perfect golden brown color for the crispy chickpeas!
- Sea Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavors and textures in the salad, while also providing essential minerals that support your overall health.
Creamy Homemade Dressing:
- Pine Nut Butter: Pine nut butter serves as the creamy base for this vegan Caesar dressing. It delivers a luxurious, nutty richness and a creamy texture without dairy. It's a source of healthy fats and complements the other dressing ingredients perfectly.
- Capers: Capers add a zesty, briny kick to your dressing, enhancing the classic Caesar flavor. They bring a balance of saltiness and acidity to this homemade Caesar salad dressing. You can read more about the benefits of capers in this post!
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard contributes tanginess and extra flavor to the dressing, creating a well-rounded flavor.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce: Helps to build that traditional Caesar salad flavor.
- Garlic Cloves: Garlic is essential to any homemade Caesar dressing. It adds a satisfying, aromatic kick to this salad.
- Lemon Juice: This adds the perfect tart kick. This is the best way to achieve a slightly cheesy flavor without any cheese!
- Black Pepper: Black pepper is essential for achieving that perfect savory flavor.
- Sea Salt: Adds flavor to the creamy dressing.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make It:
This kale salad recipe is a staple, quick, and easy recipe. Let's take a look at how to make it.
Crispy Chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss dried chickpeas with coconut aminos and salt, then roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking halfway, until crispy.
Creamy Caesar Dressing:
- In a blender or food processor, combine all dressing ingredients.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the consistency by adding water or a little olive oil if needed.
Kale Salad:
- Wash and remove the tough stems from the kale leaves. Tear it into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the kale in a large bowl and massage it with your hands for a few minutes until it becomes tender and dark green. I recommend adding a little olive oil to the kale when massaging.
- In the same bowl, add the pine nuts and crispy homemade croutons.
- Drizzle the Dressing over the salad.
- Toss everything together until the salad is well coated with the dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Hint: If you don't mind getting your (clean) hands a little dirty, you can massage the dressing into the kale. This helps to really immerse the flavor of the dressing into the salad.
Substitutions:
There are a variety of easy substitutions that can be made to this healthy Caesar salad recipe if needed. Here are some of the common ones.
- Lettuce - If kale isn't your thing, or you simply can't get your hands on it, romaine lettuce or any tender greens will work perfectly for this recipe. I also love using baby kale from time to time!
- Sweet Potatoes - You can make crispy sweet potatoes by cutting them into cubes and baking them. This is a great option if garbanzo beans (chickpeas) make your stomach upset.
- Garlic Powder - If you can't get your hands on fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder. I recommend using 1 tablespoon.
Variations:
There are a handful of delicious variations of this recipe to try out. Here are some mouth-watering variations to try!
- Cheesy : You can add a handful of vegan parmesan cheese on top of this salad if desired.
- Spicy Roasted Chickpeas: If you love adding a bit of spice to all your meals, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes for a zesty kick to the crunchy roasted chickpeas.
- Veggie Loaded: If you wish to add more veggies to this salad, there are plenty that will taste absolutely amazing. I recommend roasting the veggies with chickpeas. Some of my favorite vegetables to add to this kale Caesar salad are red onion, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. If you enjoy veggie-packed meals like this, you might also love my beet carrot salad or this cozy winter vegetable risotto.
- High Protein: For added plant-based protein, you can top this salad with this delicious air-fryer tempeh.
Equipment:
To make this salad, you will need the following equipment:
- Baking Sheet & Parchment Paper: To roast the chickpeas to make the crunchy homemade croutons.
- Kitchen Towel or Paper Towels: For patting dry the chickpeas after rinsing.
- Blender or Food Processor: For mixing and blending the ingredients to make the creamy dressing.
- Large Mixing Bowl: To assemble and toss the kale salad.
Storage:
This roasted chickpea Caesar salad is one of my favorite fresh salads to meal prep because it keeps so well in the fridge. I recommend storing it in an airtight container. If stored correctly, this salad will stay fresh for a full week-making it perfect alongside other meal prep recipes like this Rainbow Kale Salad.
Top Tip:
I can not stress how important it is to massage your kale. Massaging kale completely transforms its flavor and texture. If you've never been a fan of kale in salads, it's probably because you've never had kale prepared correctly! I also love massaging extra dressing into the kale to coat everything evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, canned chickpeas work perfectly for making chickpea croutons. Just be sure to rinse and pat them dry before seasoning and roasting.
While chickpeas are a popular choice, you can also use other plant-based proteins like tofu, tempeh, hemp seeds, or seitan to add protein to your salad.
Yes, the dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It may thicken when chilled, so you can thin it out with a bit of water before using.
Related Vegan Salads:
Looking for more delicious vegan salads? Check out some of the other mouth-watering salads on my website!
If you try this Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad Recipe, I'd really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I'd also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Make sure to share it on social media and tag @theallnaturalvegan to be featured! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Roasted Chickpea Caesar Salad
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Chickpea Croutons:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 pinch sea salt
Creamy Caesar Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire
- ¼ cup pine nut butter
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- black pepper to taste
Kale Salad:
- 2 bunches curly kale
- ¼ cup pine nuts
Instructions
For the Chickpea Croutons:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- In a small bowl, toss the chickpeas with 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos and a pinch of sea salt.
- Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown. Shake the pan every 15 minutes or so to ensure even cooking.
For the Creamy Caesar Dressing:
- In a blender or food processor, combine the pine nut butter, capers, dijon mustard, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and black Pepper.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the consistency by adding water or a little olive oil if needed.
For the Kale Salad:
- Wash and de-stem the curly kale. Tear it into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the kale in a large salad bowl and massage it with your hands for a few minutes until it becomes tender and dark green. I recommend adding a little olive oil to the kale when massaging. This will help you achieve the perfect soft texture.
- In the same bowl, add the pine nuts and crispy chickpea croutons.
- Drizzle the Creamy Caesar Dressing over the salad.
- Toss everything together until the salad is well coated with the dressing. Serve and enjoy!
More Vegan Recipes With Kale:
If you're looking for more delicious kale recipes make sure to check out some of the other recipes on my website!
Jacqui says
This kale salad is so good, I make it ALL the time now!