Lemon Kale Caesar Salad

Make a flavorful Lemon Kale Caesar Salad for the perfect side salad. Massage kale in a simple homemade lemon caesar dressing and top with lemon zest and parmesan cheese.

Extra lemon juice makes this kale caesar salad bright and refreshing

Caesar salads have always been a favorite of mine. Caesar dressing can be a bit heavy so its nice to pair it with a heartier green like some kale.

I added extra lemon juice to a homemade caesar dressing to make it lighter and brighter. That homemade dressing gets massaged into the finely chopped kale.

Then, the whole thing is tossed with homemade sourdough croutons, lemon zest and lots of fresh parmesan cheese. This kale caesar salad is equal parts hearty and refreshing.

Kitchen tools

• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Measuring spoons and measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cups
• Mixing bowls
• Frying pans
• Microplane for zesting

Serving Suggestions

This lemon kale caesar salad is delicious as a a side salad or even as an entree. I like to serve it as a side salad along some of my favorite Italian recipes like these crockpot meatballs and sauce or baked gnocchi recipe.

If I serve it as an entree I like to add some protein on top. Two of my favorite options for adding easy protein to this salad are crispy oven baked panko chicken and grilled balsamic chicken.

Ingredients

• Curly kale
• Sourdough bread
• Lemon zest
• Parmesan cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Dijon mustard
• Olive oil

Ingredient substitutions

I like to use finely chopped curly kale for this kale caesar salad, but you can use any kind you like. Tuscan kale or even baby kale will both work well.

I like to use sourdough bread for the homemade croutons because it is hearty. You can use any kind of bread you like. I recommend using sourdough, Italian or multigrain bread.

To make the dressing, I use mayo to simplify the emulsification. If you do not like mayonnaise, use a plain greek yogurt as a substitute.

How to make a lemon kale caesar salad

Step 1: Prepare homemade croutons

To begin, cut sourdough bread into a small cubes and toss in olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt.

Then, heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. Toast cubed bread until golden brown.

Remove the croutons from the pan and allow to cool. Use a sharp knife to chop into even smaller pieces.

Step 2: Chop kale and Make homemade lemon caesar dressing

Next, chop kale pieces until it is finely shredded. Place kale in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, prepare lemon caesar dressing. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic, dijon, and pepper until fully combined.

While moving the whisk briskly, pour the olive oil into the bowl in a steady stream. Mix until a smooth even dressing remains.

Step 3: toss it all together

Then, pour dressing over the kale and use your hands to really massage the dressing into the kale. Finally, toss the croutons, lemon zest and fresh parmesan cheese into the salad and serve.

Storage

Kale is a very hearty green. You can toss this salad in the dressing and still store the leftovers for later.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Refresh the salad before serving with a bit of fresh lemon juice and extra parmesan cheese.

Check out these other side salad recipes

• Roasted Vegetable Salad
• Summer Corn Salad
• Strawberry Quinoa Salad
• Mango Salad

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Recipe

Lemon Kale Caesar Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

Toss finely chopped kale in a vibrant lemon caesar dressing

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutes

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Servings: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

salad ingredients

• 2 large slices sourdough bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch curly kale (about 8oz)
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

lemon Caesar Dressing Ingredients

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove – grated or minced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil

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Instructions

1. Cut sourdough bread into a small cubes and toss in olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt. Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. Toast cubed bread until golden brown.
2. Remove the croutons from the pan and allow to cool. Use a sharp knife to chop into even smaller pieces.
3. Chop kale pieces until it is finely shredded. Place kale in a large mixing bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, prepare lemon caesar dressing. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic, dijon, and pepper until fully combined. While moving the whisk briskly, pour the olive oil into the bowl in a steady stream. 
5. Pour dressing over the kale and use your hands to really massage the dressing into the kale. Toss the croutons, lemon zest and fresh parmesan cheese into the salad and serve.

Notes

• Use any kind of kale you like – curly kale, tuscan kale or baby kale 
• You can use pre-grated parmesan cheese but I prefer the flavor of freshly grated parm
• You can use any kind of bread to make the croutons but my favorite are sourdough, Italian, multigrain bread

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.