How to Make Kale Taste Good: Kale Cashew Caesar Salad with Sourdough Croutons.

People love to hate on kale. I enjoy kale when it is harvested in cool weather (a little frost makes it sweeter!) and when it is prepared correctly. You can’t go wrong massaging kale with a creamy, tangy, herby, Caesar dressing. Roasted chickpeas and golden Za’atar croutons take this meal to the finish line.

Why Kale?

Kale is a great choice for thicker dressings or if you need to prepare a salad ahead of time. After massaging the dressing into the leaves, I prefer to let the dressing marinade on the leaves for 15 minutes to break the fibers down even more. Massaging is a fancy way to say, work the dressing in.

Varieties of Kale

Most grocery stores carry green, curly kale. That works perfect for this salad as well as other varieties. Here are a few to get acquainted with:

Scarlet Kale– Leaves are green with purple veins in the spring but as a whole, become more purple as the weather warms up. (Pictured below) This is the type I used for this salad.

Lacinato/ Nero Toscana– AKA dinosaur kale. Crisp and sweet when picked in cooler temps. I love it lightly sautted in garlic and oil or in salads mixed with other greens.

Red Russian- Leaves are flatter than other varieties are most tender to begin with. I like to mix them with other lettuce leaf varieties.

Dwarf Blue Curled- Very curled, very hardy. Typically, the curlier the variety the more frost hardy they will be.

Dressing Details

This is a not traditional Caesar dressing, but it is so good that truly you won’t feel like you are lacking anything. A few notes:

Cashews: When cashews soak, they are softened to the point they can be turned into a lovely base for soups or dressings. They had a hint of nuttiness without being overwhelming. The cashews in this dressing I recommend soaking with the other ingredients for 4 hours or up to 24 hours before blending. Blending is needed to avoid a gritty texture.

Zaatar. Za’atar is a middle eastern spice, often used in the Levant Region. It varies, but usually is a combination of sumac, sesame seeds, thyme, oregano and salt. You can make your own or buy pre-made blends at the grocery store. In a pinch, substituting Italian seasonings in this dressing will offer similar results. Better yet, sumac and Italian seasonings.

Salad toppings.

The roasted chickpeas and golden croutons are a nonnegotiable in my opinion. I find the best way to ensure a crispy chickpea is to remove the skins (or at least most) and dry them as best you can. Adding a pinch of arrowroot powder, although not necessary, does help with the crisp factor.

For the croutons, sourdough was used, but any hearty bread could work. I do love Trader Joe’s Sprouted Sourdough. Cutting them into even pieces helps with roasting evenly. Alternatively, tear sourdough loaf ends to make the dish more rustic. I allow the oil and spices to soak into the bread a few minutes before roasting. I recommend making croutons in the oven or the air fryer.