By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 26, 2018
Kale Caesar Salad is a great pairing for just about any meal! It’s just like a classic Caesar salad, but with a twist. You’ve got the homemade croutons and the Caesar dressing, but we’re throwing in kale instead of romaine, and adding some tomatoes and shallots for extra flavor. To round it all out, I’m pairing it with my favorite classic, Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese. It’s a match made in heaven!
Kale Caesar Salad
Kale Caesar Salad is a great side dish for tonight’s dinner. It’s easy, it’s delicious, and it takes almost no time at all to put it together. It’s one of my go-to recipes because the salad goes well with many different dishes. Tonight, I’m pairing it with a classic favorite – Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese.
Caesar Salad is traditionally made with romaine lettuce, but I love to mix things up a bit by using kale! This Kale Caesar Salad has all the basics (Caesar dressing, croutons, shaved Parmesan), but with a few twists that make this salad super fun and more nutritious:
- We’re replacing the romaine lettuce with kale, a nutrient-packed green with tons of health benefits.
- We’re adding cherry tomatoes and shallots for even more flavor.
- We’re making our own croutons with Italian bread.
This fresh side salad is so delicious and so easy to throw together along with any meal. It will take your dinner from good to great in no time!
I can’t wait for you to try this Kale Caesar Salad because I know you will love it too. Whatever you’re cooking for dinner tonight, add this easy side salad for a healthy addition.
Kale Caesar Salad is a simple, healthy, and delicious side salad recipe that goes well with just about any meal!
Balance your Plate with this Kale Caesar Salad Recipe
Research shows that Americans are only meeting the MyPlate guidelines for vegetables, fruit, proteins, dairy, and grains SEVEN days out of 365. Every time I read that it shocks me to my CORE! It doesn’t have to be hard or laborious to add quick and simple fruits and veggies to your family’s dinner plates that also taste good and are requested time and time again. Partnering with Stouffer’s has made me realize just how easy it is to create a well-rounded meal while leaning on some of your favorite foods, like Macaroni & Cheese!
People don’t always think about food this way, but pairing a frozen prepared meal, like Stouffer’s Macaroni& Cheese with a recipe like this Kale Caesar Salad Recipe is an easy and great way to get your greens while enjoying a delicious and stress free meal. Continue to balance your plate with some sliced strawberries or grilled veggies and you’re good to go!
You shouldn’t hesitate to use the help of a frozen food when feeding your family. Can you believe that many frozen foods have around the same or fewer number of calories than an average homemade recipe, and typically have greater nutritional benefits than eating out?. IT’S TRUE!
You don’t have to give up all the foods you love (LIKE Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese) to create a balanced meal. Balancing your plate is about adding in the right pairings and keeping everything in moderation. Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese is great because you can make it in minutes (bake for 75 minutes and spend time with your family, or microwave for 15…IT’S THAT EASY!) and it’s sure to please each and every member of your family.
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
You can’t call it a Caesar salad without the Caesar dressing, so let’s talk about it. I have a homemade dressing that I use for my classic Caesar salad, and I’m using the same recipe for this Kale Caesar Salad. It’s just so perfect, it doesn’t need a twist.
What’s in it?
- Anchovies
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Lemon Juice
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Dry Mustard
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
How to Make a Kale Caesar Salad
There are three main parts to this Kale Caesar Salad recipe: the croutons, the salad dressing, and assembling the salad .. And even though there are three components, it’s really simple to put together.
- Make the Caesar salad dressing first ( here’s the recipe ). Then you can refrigerate it until you’re ready to make the salad.
- Prepare the croutons on the stove by cooking the bread cubes with olive oil, red pepper, and garlic.
- Chop up the kale and massage it as you toss it with the Caesar dressing.
- Finally, assemble the salad by tossing the kale with the tomatoes, shallots, cheese, and croutons.
This Kale Caesar Salad is so easy! It’s so fresh and simple, and yet it’s filled with flavor. It’s a perfect match for any meal.
Homemade Croutons
One of my favorite parts of this kale Caesar salad recipe is the homemade croutons. We’re using day old Italian bread to make them, and cooking them up on the stove with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to make croutons at home instead of buying bags of pre-made ones, and homemade always tastes so much better!
We also have another homemade crouton recipe you can try if you prefer. Our Healthy Baked Croutons recipe is simple, baking the croutons instead of making them on the stove. You can easily make a big batch of them and store them to use for a couple of weeks.
Or try our garlic croutons or bacon croutons .
How do you soften kale for a salad?
Fresh kale is a fibrous green that can be quite tough. To soften raw kale for a salad, you’ll need to massage it first. Spend a minute or two just gently massaging the kale leaves as you toss it with olive oil, or for this recipe, as you toss it with the Caesar dressing.
I can’t wait for you to try this incredible Kale Caesar Salad paired with Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese. Nothing beats a simple salad that is absolutely delicious! This needs to be your go-to side dish for pastas, soups, chicken, or Macaroni & Cheese!
See the recipe card below for details on how to make Kale Caesar Salad. Enjoy!
If you like this easy salad recipe, you’ll love these salads too:
- Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Kale Salad Recipe with Apples & Fried Goat Cheese
- Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Chopped Caprese Salad
- Spinach Berry Salad
- Mandarin Orange Salad Recipe
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ Extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic finely
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ▢ 2 slices of day-old Italian bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- ▢ 1/4 cup Caesar Dressing click for recipe
- ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ▢ 2 shallots sliced
- ▢ 1/4 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan Cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
- ▢ 1 large bunch of kale (curly kale) tough stems removed, chopped
Instructions
- Coat a large frying pan with olive oil. Add in the garlic, red pepper, and salt. Heat over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Toss in the cubed bread and use a wooden spoon to stir/coat the bread in the oil. Continue to fry until the bread has soaked up the oil and is golden, crisped, and browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl and pour in the Caesar Dressing. Massage the kale with your hands gently to soften and toss with the dressing, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes, cheeses, shallots, and croutons.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Kale Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 slices of day-old Italian bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup Caesar Dressing click for recipe
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 large bunch of kale (curly kale) tough stems removed, chopped
Instructions
- Coat a large frying pan with olive oil. Add in the garlic, red pepper, and salt. Heat over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Toss in the cubed bread and use a wooden spoon to stir/coat the bread in the oil. Continue to fry until the bread has soaked up the oil and is golden, crisped, and browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl and pour in the Caesar Dressing. Massage the kale with your hands gently to soften and toss with the dressing, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes, cheeses, shallots, and croutons.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
