Kale caesar salad made with a creamy greek yogurt dressing and crispy garlic chickpeas. A delicious and healthier alternative to traditional caesar salad, packed with micro-nutrients and protein!
Made with a healthier Caesar dressing, this kale caesar salad with garlic chickpeas is a family favorite, along with this avocado caesar salad!
We've up-leveled your classic caesar salad with a healthy twist, that may just be tastier than the original! We've swapped romaine lettuce for kale - one of the most nutrient-dense greens available.
For some crunch, we're using roasted chickpeas instead of croutons (bonus: they add some plant-based protein)! Best of all, the traditional oil-heavy caesar dressing is swapped for a greek yogurt based dressing, which is light but SO flavorful!
Reasons You'll Love this recipe
- it's healthier AND seriously delicious!
- is ready in 30 minutes
- can be meal prepped for a light and delicious lunch or dinner
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this kale caesar salad. Itโs so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Ingredient notes
- kale- we've used curly kale in the photos here, but you can use almost any type of kale in this recipe, from curly kale to lacinato kale, even baby kale works well.
- chickpeas- we're swapping croutons for pan-fried chickpeas; they do not get crispy cooked this way, but have delicious texture and flavor. If you'd prefer croutons, check out our air fryer croutons!
- greek yogurt- makes the dressing nice and thick, but does add a tangy yogurt flavor to it. If you'd like to avoid this, swap for full fat plain yogurt
- anchovy paste- adds the oomf to this dressing! Part sharp, part salty and a big boost of flavor- do not skip. Anchovy paste is often found in the refrigerated seafood section of the grocery store.
- avocado mayonnaise- brightens the flavors and helps make the base of this dressing; can be swapped for regular mayo.
- arrowroot starch- coats the chickpeas and dries the surface; can be swapped for an equal volume of cornstarch
Step by step directions
garlic chickpeas
- After draining and rinsing chickpeas, spread them out on a clean towel and blot with a second towel to dry completely.
- Once chickpeas are dry, stir them together with arrowroot starch, garlic powder and salt until evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas to the pan, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
TIP- for ultra crunchy chickpeas, cook them in the air fryer! See our air fryer chickpeas for cook time and temp!
Prepare Kale
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While garlic chickpeas are cooking, shred, wash, then and dry the kale. Remove if from the stem and tear into bite-sized pieces. Soak in cold water, the drain. Dry well using a salad spinner.
TIP- for step by step photos for how to prepare kale, check out our staple kale salad post!
Massage kale
Take clean, washed kale, and massage in your hands for 2-3 minutes, until kale becomes soft and bright green.
This helps to:
- remove the tough texture that raw kale can tend to have
- remove the natural bitterness that kale can hold
Combine
Stir together the dressing ingredients, then toss the kale until evenly coated.
TIP- kale can be washed & torn up and dressing can be mixed up to a week ahead; chickpeas should be fried just before serving.
Serve
Top the kale caesar salad with garlic chickpeas and a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese
FAQ
Sure but you will need to find a vegan caesar dressing. Here's a yummy looking cashew-based alternative!
You could replace the chickpeas with croutons if you'd prefer, and top the salad with some shredded chicken. Here's an Instant Pot whole chicken recipe that would be great on this salad!
Most store-bought caesar dressings are high in saturated fat, refined oils, and stabilizers. Not exactly a recipe for a healthy salad! If you're going to go to the effort to enjoy a salad, why not top it with a healthier alternative? This recipe is made healthier by skipping the oils, and instead opting for a lighter yogurt that contains gut-loving probiotics!
Storage + Meal Prep
This salad is best served fresh, however, you can prep some of the components 4-5 days ahead:
- Shred, wash, dry kale
- Store in a container lined with a paper towel in the fridge
- Shake up the salad dressing and store seperately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
- To serve, stir together the dressing ingredients, then toss the kale until evenly coated. Top wit garlic chickpeas and a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese!
Note- kale caesar salad cannot be frozen.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Kale Caesar Salad with Garlic Chickpeas
Ingredients
Garlic Chickpeas
- 19 oz can of chickpeas drained & rinsed; roughly 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil see note 1
Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing:
- ยผ cup Greek yogurt see note 2
- ยผ cup avocado mayonnaise or your favorite mayo
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste see note 3
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Pepper
Chickpea Kale Salad:
- 1 bunch kale washed, shredded & dried; see note 4
- ยผ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
Garlic Chickpeas
- Prepare - After draining and rinsing chickpeas, spread them out on a clean towel and blot with a second towel to dry completely.
- Season - Once chickpeas are dry, stir them together with arrowroot starch, garlic powder and salt until evenly coated.
- Cook - Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas to the pan, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Kale Caesar Salad
- Prepare - While garlic chickpeas are cooking, shred, wash, then and dry the kale. Remove if from the stem and tear into bite-sized pieces. Soak in cold water, the drain. Dry well using a salad spinner.Take clean, washed kale, and massage in your hands for 2-3 minutes, until kale becomes soft and bright green (note 5).
- Combine - Stir together the dressing ingredients, then toss the kale until evenly coated.
- Serve - Top the kale caesar salad with garlic chickpeas and a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese
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Tips:
- if cooking in the air fryer, use 1 tablespoon of olive oil and follow directions here
- greek yogurt adds a definite 'tang' to the dressing; if you want to avoid this, use regular, full fat plain yogurt
- adds the oomf to this dressing-- do not skip. Anchovy paste is often found in the refrigerated seafood section of the grocery store
- you can use almost any type of kale in this recipe, from curly kale to lacinato kale, even baby kale works well.
- massaging kale helps to soften the texture and remove bitterness from the leaves
- Shred, wash, dry kale
- Store in a container lined with a paper towel in the fridge
- Shake up the salad dressing and store separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
- To serve, stir together the dressing ingredients, then toss the kale until evenly coated. Top with garlic chickpeas and a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese!
Video
Nutrition Information
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