This massaged cashew kale caesar salad features a creamy, umami-packed vegan dressing and homemade croutons. (This article has been updated from its original December 2019 version).
Caesar salad has got to be one of the world’s most beloved salads. Well, here in the US at least, seeing as it’s on nearly every restaurant menu. Juicy leaves, funky dressing, crispy croutons… it’s just fun, ya know? As salads should be!
The inspiration for this one came from Dig Inn, a fast-casual chain here in NYC and one of my favorite lunch spots. They’re experts in cooking all the seasonal vegetables, but the one I can never resist is the vegan cashew kale caesar. The kale is tender, the dressing is packed with umami – the only problem is that I always want seconds.
The first time I had Dig Inn’s caesar was around Friendsgiving season and I had two potlucks coming up. While eating my lunch, I realized a similar salad would be the perfect thing to bring. Since F-giving is typically an ode to beige food (potatoes, mac-and-cheese, etc.), I figured we could use some green to balance things out. My caesar turned out to be a hit at both parties, and has gone on to become a staple at all my gatherings since.
What’s In This Cashew Kale Caesar
As you probably know, a traditional caesar consists of romaine coated in a pungent anchovy-flavored, egg yolk-based dressing. For this healthified vegan version, I use curly kale instead of romaine and make a creamy dressing with soaked cashews. (The recipe is adapted from the Compassionate Cuisine cookbook, which I had the pleasure of photographing!)
To imitate the funk of the anchovy, this dressing calls for capers and miso. This duo – along with garlic, mustard, and lots of lemon juice – makes for a super tangy, briny, and rich dressing that mimics the original perfectly. If you’re not a fan of capers, don’t worry – their flavor gets diluted in the dressing and it doesn’t taste caper-y at all. Apart from the cashew sauce and homemade croutons, what makes this salad special is the art of the massage (more on that below).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Soak the Cashews: First, soak raw cashews. Measure them out, cover with boiling water, and set aside for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours). This softens the nuts and helps them blend up into rich, creamy goodness.
Make the Dressing: Drain the cashews and add capers, miso, Dijon mustard, garlic, lots of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a cup of water. Puree until completely smooth and creamy. (I don’t advise doing this in a food processor, since the dressing will turn out gritty).
At this point, the dressing should taste really strong – salty and tangy. Don’t be alarmed – it will mellow out when you add the kale.
Make the Croutons: Tear up some bread (preferably sourdough) and add it to a skillet, along with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Toast until brown and crispy, tossing frequently to avoid burning. These take all of 5 minutes, so don’t skip them! They’re crunchy and pleasantly addictive – way better than whatever you can buy in a bag.
Stem the Kale: Clean the kale leaves under running water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. To remove the tough stems, hold the stem end in one hand and pull off the greens with the other, pulling the piece in opposite directions as you go. Then tear the greens into bite-size bits. (If you make homemade juice, save the kale stems!)
Massage the Kale: To finish the salad, put some kale in a very large bowl and drizzle on some dressing. Massage the leaves by squeezing firmly with your hands until the kale softens, and turns bright green and juicy – this takes a minute or two, so be patient (more details below). As the greens soften, gradually incorporate the rest of the kale and more dressing into the bowl. Toss the croutons into the salad and serve.
Why You Should Massage Your Kale
If you’ve never massaged kale before, you may be a little weirded out. But trust me, if you want to eat your kale raw, a massage is a must!
In comparison to, say, romaine or arugula, kale is much tougher and more fibrous. If you eat it as is, you’ll be chewing for a looong time. Massaging kale with salt and acid – or an acidic dressing like this cashew caesar – softens the leaves, brings out their moisture, reduces their bitterness, and makes the greens easier to chew and digest.
Make-Ahead Notes
You can prep all 3 elements (kale, croutons, dressing) in advance. When I make this cashew kale caesar for parties, I clean, stem, and tear up the kale the day before and keep it in the fridge. The croutons can be toasted, cooled completely, and kept in an airtight container at room temp for up to a day. The dressing can live in an airtight container in the fridge for ~5 days. This recipe makes 2 cups of dressing (enough for 2 large salads).
If you plan to bring this to a potluck like I did, bring the 3 elements separately and assemble the salad when you get there. You don’t wanna massage it too early – otherwise it’ll dry out before you eat it.
More greens this way…
- My Ultimate Sautéed Kale
- Coconut Milk Collard Greens with Tofu
- Kale Fennel Salad with Oranges
- Vegetarian Collard Greens
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with #TheNewBaguette and @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
PrintCashew Kale Caesar
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups dressing 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This massaged cashew kale caesar salad features a creamy, umami-packed vegan dressing and homemade croutons.
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 tablespoon white miso *(see note below)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or brown mustard)
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- A generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup filtered water
For the Croutons + Kale
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 small slices sourdough bread, torn into bite-size bits
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small bunch curly kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
Instructions
- Start the dressing: Place 1 cup cashews in a blender and add enough boiling water to cover by about an inch. Soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the water and add 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon miso, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 small garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and 1 cup filtered water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed (the dressing should have a strong tangy-salty flavor – it will mellow when you add the kale).
- To make the croutons, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the bread and season with 1/4 teaspoon each smoked paprika and garlic powder, and pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat and toast, tossing occasionally, until the bread is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.
- To make the salad, place about half of the kale in a large mixing bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of the dressing and massage the kale for 1 to 2 minutes by squeezing it with your hands until softened and juicy. Incorporate more kale and dressing as it wilts. (Note: this recipe makes enough dressing for 2 salads). Then toss in the croutons. Serve immediately. (Store leftover dressing in the fridge for ~5 days).
Notes
If you avoid soy, substitute miso with nutritional yeast and compensate with an extra pinch of salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 13.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.8 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
Keywords: vegan, kale, caesar, salad, cashew