Caesar Salad + Light Caesar Vinaigrette, Kale Style

This kale Caesar salad is a lighter and healthier version of the old-school. A kale leafy blend, kitchen-made croutons, shaved Parm and a light mayo-less dressing.

My oldest daughter, Haileigh, LOVES Caesar salad.

It’s a requirement of hers that I have the ingredients on hand so when she gets home from school or even after softball practice she can make herself a small salad. She’ll order it at any restaurant that has it listed on the menu and never, ever gets tired of it.

This past summer we ate chicken Caesar salad for dinner only about every other week, for a while there it was every Tuesday for like a month and a half! No complaints here but it did get me thinking about making a lighter, more healthy version.

Enter this kale and Caesar vinaigrette.

TO Make The Caesar Vinaigrette Gather:

• a garlic clove
• anchovy paste
• dijon mustard
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• freshly squeezed lemon juice
• olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:

• ciabatta
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• kale
• red leaf lettuce
• Parmesan cheese shavings
• black pepper

First things first, the dressing. In the dressing recipe that I usually make for Caesar salads, it calls for mayo and a lot of Parm. This one does not. It’s a vinaigrette base; lemon juice and olive oil but made creamy with a little Dijon and Parmesan cheese (only a couple tablespoons). Garlic and anchovy paste gives it that old-school Caesar taste and it couldn’t be any easier to make.

Next, peel and grate 1/2 to 1 cloves of garlic depending on how garlicky you would like it.

Then grab the anchovy paste, seriously don’t be afraid of this! It truly gives this dressing it’s unique yet distinct flavor. You’ll need two teaspoons.

Along with two teaspoons of Dijon mustard.

Next, season with salt and pepper and then add in 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese…

You’ll also need some freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you don’t own one of these juicing contraptions, then you’re missing out.

You’ll need 1/3 cup of lemon juice.

Whisk those ingredients to blend the anchovy paste with the garlic with the Dijon with the Parmesan

Continue to whisk while you slooooowly drizzle in the olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and set off to the side.

Slice the loaf of ciabatta and cut it into roughly 1-inch pieces. Again, I hate to sound like a nag, but if you’re not making your own croutons by now you’re totes missing out.

Toss the cubes of ciabatta in olive oil and a few pinches of kosher salt get baked in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

No need to toss or flip, simply let them do their thang.

To sell everyone at the table on a “kale salad” I decided to cut the kale with a little red leaf romaine lettuce. Of course you could do an all kale salad… it’s completely up to you! But I’ll admit, I do like the texture mix up with using the two lettuces.

Not only is it fine-looking but texturally the kale with the romaine it’s simply right for picky mouths.

Fill a bowl with the leafy greens, top with croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese and lots of black pepper.

Drizzle with the Caesar vinaigrette.

Grind some fresh black pepper over top and prepare to fall in love with this kale Caesar salad!

Deeply good and a little lighter than old-style and without lacking in flavor.

Enjoy! And if you give this Kale Caesar Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!