Kale Caesar with Crispy Chickpeas

Caesar salad. Creamy. Tangy. Crisp. It’s one of those classic dishes that everyone seems to love, however it was never a favorite of mine growing up. Every Italian-American restaurant couldn’t seem to get the dressing to romaine ratio correct. And those bottles of Kraft Caesar? Not in my mothers house.

I now absolutely love a good caesar and although it’s not normally the most nutritious salad out there, you can bet I’ve figured out a way to change that. Kale is nothing new at this point, but I’ll most likely never stop being a fan. It’s way more nutrient dense than the traditional romaine, stands up perfectly against a creamy, thick dressing, and even lasts in a salad overnight. Chickpeas are magical on their own (my love affair with hummus is real), but when roasted, they turn into these little crunchy bursts of flavor. In this recipe, they act like seasoned croutons, which are a necessary part of a true caesar.

The dressing itself is also unintentionally vegan and SO delicious. Keep it simple with some shaved parmesan or jazz it up with avocado, green olives, and/or a protein (shrimp, salmon, or chicken would be great). This is the perfect weeknight dinner that everyone will love!

INGREDIENTS:

(serves 2 as meal or more as side)

1 head of tuscan (lacinato) kale
1 can chickpeas
salt/pepper
olive oil
garlic powder
optional: parmesan cheese, avocado, olives, protein

Dressing:

(vegan)

2 TBSP plain hummus
1 TSP mustard (I used whole grain dijon)
1 TBSP minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/4 TSP lemon zest
1 TBSP olive oil
hearty pinch salt/pepper

TO MAKE:

Turn oven to 350. Rinse and clean chick peas. Pat dry with a towel. Pour onto a baking sheet (parchment paper optional, but it helps). Drizzle olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing half way to move chickpeas around.

Rinse and de-stem kale leaves. Chop into small ribbons and place into a large mixing bowl.

Make the dressing by pouring all ingredients into a small bowl and whisking to combine. It will definitely be a thicker dressing, but if you like it thinner, add a little water.

When chickpeas are done, pull out of the oven and sprinkle generously with seasoning of choice. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, and an “everything bagel spice” from Trader Joe’s that I swear by. You could stick to just salt/pepper and it would still be great. (Season after they cook instead of before to prevent any burning.) Toss to combine.

Add dressing to the kale and massage with your hands to fully incorporate it into all the leaves/crevices. (This is the key to an amazing kale salad, we all need some extra love, ya know?) Top with chickpeas and any extras you’d like from parmesan cheese to avocado or even chicken/shrimp.