Healthy Kale Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing

A healthy, crunchy kale Caesar salad with creamy, homemade Greek yogurt Caesar dressing.

Have you ever seen the movie “The Invention of Lying?” One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Jennifer Garner’s character is on a date at a restaurant, and she says to the waiter, “I’m going to have a chicken Caesar salad because I think I’m fat, but I also deserve something that tastes good.”  Also when the granny says, “My pills make everything orange!” but that one’s not really relevant to this post.

A good Caesar salad is just that, good. But there are many Caesar salads that just fall short. There are a lot of places to go wrong: wilty lettuce, overly-salty dressing (or flavorless dressing), poor-quality cheese. And the worst is when it doesn’t taste that great, but it’s still very fattening.  Caesar salads are extra notorious for being fat and calorie-packed due to loads of creamy dressing, cheese, and croutons.

But you can still be like Jennifer Garner’s character with your Caesar salad. You can eat something healthier while also enjoying a tasty salad with this kale Caesar salad recipe with homemade Greek yogurt Caesar dressing.

Mr. Table loves Caesar salads, so we make them pretty often in our house. We especially make a lot in the summer and grill the romaine for an extra delicious salad. But this one is more appropriate for winter with its crunchy kale leaves that are almost impossible to wilt, good quality parmesan, homemade sourdough croutons, and creamy Greek yogurt Caesar dressing that’s both healthy and delicious!

I don’t buy a lot of bottled salad dressings because they tend to be loaded with salt, sugar, lower-quality oils, and a bunch of other unnecessary ingredients. So I wanted to make my own Caesar dressing that was both healthy and tasty enough for Mr. Table’s salad standards. So I started with Greek yogurt, of course, for a healthy base, then added fresh parmesan, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil, with a secret ingredient – anchovy paste. The anchovy paste gives the dressing the signature savory, slightly tangy, Caesar flavor, but it’s much easier to use and store than anchovies. You can usually find it near the olives or canned tuna in the grocery store, or on Amazon. This Caesar dressing is so easy to make, so delicious, and much better for you than the bottled kinds.

With a solid dressing to start with, all you have to do for the perfect Caesar salad is add fresh ingredients. I love to make my own croutons out of homemade sourdough bread. They’re so simple to make! Then I add fresh kale, very thinly sliced onions, and grate some good quality parmesan over the top for a delicious and healthy Kale Caesar salad that’s hearty enough for a dude, but still healthy and light. It’s a delicious side to go with pasta, pizza, or any grilled protein. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Healthy Kale Caesar Salad with Homemade Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

A healthy, crunchy kale Caesar salad with creamy, homemade Greek yogurt Caesar dressing.

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 25 min
• Yield: 4 cups 1x
• Category: salad
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch kale, chopped into very small pieces
• 1/8 small onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Sourdough croutons (see recipe below)
• 1/4 cup Caesar dressing (see recipe below)

Sourdough Croutons:

• 2 slices whole grain sourdough bread
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing:

• 6 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 2 small cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. To make croutons, preheat oven to 400° F and cut bread into cubes. Toss bread with olive oil and garlic powder and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until croutons are golden and crispy, stirring every few minutes.
2. To make dressing, whisk all ingredients together or blend in a blender. Pour into a jar and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. To make the salad, finely chop the kale and add it to a large bowl. Add sliced onion and parmesan. Pour in desired amount of dressing (start with about 1/4 cup) and toss to coat. Sprinkle with croutons and serve immediately.

Keywords: kale caesar salad, homemade caesar dressing