Kale Caesar Salad

I love a good Caesar salad, but sometimes the classic version can feel a little heavy. And if I’m being honest, I don’t always feel up to the task of separating eggs and whisking together a mayo from scratch. That’s why I decided to ditch the egg and oil and instead use silken tofu for a dressing that’s fast, creamy, and lighter than the original. It’s silky, tangy, and packed with umami from anchovies, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Japanese Worcestershire sauce, which gives it a subtle sweetness and depth that makes this version truly special. I like to use a mix of romaine and kale for the best of both worlds — the romaine adds crunch and freshness, while the finely sliced kale brings a little chew and earthiness. Together they make the salad more interesting and satisfying. I also add a few paper-thin slices of red onion for a touch of sharpness and color. This Kale Caesar Salad is perfect for an easy lunch or as a crisp, refreshing side with dinner. Best of all the dressing keeps for a week, so you can make extra and use it on everything from roasted vegetables to grain bowls, so let’s get into it.

Many decades ago when my husband and I were working in Chicago for a well known restaurant group, one of the chefs came over from his restaurant to get some tofu. He was experimenting with a new Caesar dressing. I didn’t get to try his version, but it was the source for my own inspiration.

I start making my Kale Caesar Salad by whipping up the dressing. You can use either a traditional blender or an immersion one.  Silken tofu gives the dressing its creamy texture without any egg or oil — it blends up smooth and light in seconds. Add 4 ounces of the tofu (a quarter of the container) to either the blender pitcher or your immersion blender cup:

Add the minced garlic:

Now, I don’t want to hear that you “don’t like anchovies”. Don’t even think about skipping them — they’re what make a Caesar taste like a Caesar. Trust me, it won’t be fishy, just delicious.  Start with just 1 if you’re really cautious. But I think once you taste the savory umami pop they add, you’re going to use all 3.

Now we’ll add the far less controversial ingredient- parmigiana reggiano! Please splurge and get the real deal. The fake stuff cannot match the amazing flavor. You can get it already ground or shave off what you need from a block.

Next I add Worcestershire sauce. I prefer to use a Japanese brand as it is milder and a tad sweeter:

Then the red wine vinegar is added. You can use 1/2 a lemon instead if you prefer:

Every good Caesar dressing needs some olive oil:

A tablespoon of Dijon mustard:

Season with salt and pepper:

And finally a little water to help it blend:

Blend until smooth and creamy.  The dressing keeps for a week so you can make it ahead and enjoy a couple Kale Caesar Salads during the week.

With our Caesar dressing ready it’s time to assemble the salad.  Trim the romaine and cut it into generous bite sized pieces:

Then it’s time to prepare the kale. (If you don’t love raw kale, check out my tip in the notes below the recipe!) First strip the leaves from the rough, woody stems:

Stack the leaves and roll them like a cigar, and then cut the kale into thin ribbons, as thin as you can get them:

Wash the greens and then spin them dry. Alternately if you don’t have a salad spinner you can gently dry them in clean dishtowels. You don’t want to skip this step, kale can be gritty.

The last thing to do is to thinly slice the red onion. I like to soak it in water for a couple minutes to remove it’s sharp bite.

Soak slices for 5 minutes:

Now all that’s left to do is assemble your kale caesar salad and dig in!

Add a little more cheese!

I hope you love this lightened up caesar salad as much as I do! Make it this week and let me know what you think! Tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we wanna see your creations!

Feeling the salad vibes? Check out my Salad Archives, there’s tons of inspo like my Wild Mushroom Salad or this simple Lemon Chicken Salad.

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 2
• Category: salads

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Ingredients

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• ½ Head Romaine Lettuce
• 3 leaves kale
• ⅛ small red onion
• Extra grated Parmigiana Reggiano and fresh ground pepper for serving 
• Dressing
• ¼ container silken tofu (4 ounces)
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• 3 Tablespoons grated Parmigiana Reggiano
• 2 Tablespoons Japanese worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1–3 pieces anchovy filets
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

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Instructions

Make Dressing combine all of the dressing ingredients in a tall cup or a blender cup, if you are using a standard blender. Blend the ingredients well with an immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the Greens  Cut the romaine lengthwise into strips and then cut across the strips to yield largish bite sized pieces. Strip the kale leaves off of the stem. Discard the hard fibrous stems. Stack the kale leaves and then roll them into a tight cylinder, like a cigar. Cut the kale into very fine slices, as thin as you can manage. Wash the greens and then spin them in a salad spinner to dry.

Slice the onion as thinly as you can manage and then dunk the sliced onion into a bowl of ice water. Let the onions soak for 5 minutes which will tame the sharp bite. Drain well and set aside. 

Arrange the Salad Place the greens onto a large platter and scatter with the red onions. Serve with the dressing, grated cheese, and black pepper on the side.

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Notes

*The dressing yields a little over a cup. Save any unused dressing for another meal. The dressing keeps for a week.

*This dressing is not a tart Caesar dressing. If you prefer more zing, increase the red wine vinegar to 2 Tablespoons.

*Japanese Worcestershire sauce is milder and more flavorful than American Worcestershire. It is available at Asian grocery stores. I like the Bulldog brand, which is common. If you prefer to use American worcestershire sauce, do not add any additional vinegar until tasting it first. 

*Please make the dressing with the anchovies, even if you don’t normally like them. I promise it will not be fishy. Start with 1 anchovy fillets for beginners. I like to use 4.

*I don’t mind eating raw kale but you can also massage the kale to break it down and make it easier and more pleasant to consume. This process decreases the volume of kale so you may want to add double the amount of kale in the recipe. To massage the kale, add the cut kale into a large bowl and drizzle a couple teaspoons of neutral oil, a pinch of salt and a couple teaspoons of red wine vinegar over the kale.

Use clean hands to massage the leaves. Vigorously rub, scrunch, and squeeze the kale between your fingers for 2-5 minutes. The leaves will soften, becoming darker green and shiny, and the volume of kale in the bowl will shrink. Let the kale sit for 5-10 minutes, which will allow the marinade to further break down the leaves.

Keywords: kale, tofu, healthy, caesar, salads, quick