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Overhead image of a kale caesar salad with chickpeas and coconut bacon on a plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

This vegan caesar salad features the most amazing plant-based caesar salad dressing plus coconut bacon and roasted chickpeas for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Amercian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Deryn Macey

Ingredients

For the Roasted Chickpeas

  • 1 19 oz can chickpeas rinsed, drained and dried
  • 1/2 tsp olive or avocado oil
  • generous sprinkling of garlic powder sea salt and black pepper

For the Caesar Salad Dressing

  • 150 g of soft tofu approx. 1/2 cup
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Kale Salad

Instructions

To Make the Roasted Chickpeas

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas on a large baking sheet and blot dry with a dish towel or paper towel to dry. They don't have to be completely dry but drying them helps with crispiness. If any skins come off you can pick them out or just leave them.
  • Drizzle with the oil then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper then roll them around until they’re all coated.
  • Roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan after 20 minutes, until crisped and light browned,

To Make the Caesar Salad Dressing

  • Blend all the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Store any extras in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Assemble the Salad

  • Place the finely chopped kale in a bowl, pour some of the dressing over and stir well. Let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes so the kale can soften a bit. Top with chickpeas and coconut bacon.

Notes

For a classic caesar salad, use romaine lettuce instead of kale and traditional croutons instead of chickpeas. The coconut bacon is optional either way.
The coconut bacon and roasted chickpeas make enough for about 4 salads. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container.
Find instructions on how to make coconut bacon here.
This salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. If there are leftovers and it's possible to store the kale, dressing, and chickpeas separately, do that and assemble as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 5g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg