Revitalize your body (and taste buds) with our nutrient-rich Kale Caesar Salad with Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons. Dark leafy kale (or any dark leafy green you like) is dressed in a creamy plant-based Caesar dressing and topped with crunchy dehydrated chickpeas that have the perfect cheesy touch! Savory, cheesy, creamy, and crunchy, this salad has the makings to be one of our dreamiest. Plus, it's packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, K, E, and A (just to name a few). It's a nutritional symphony you’ll be delighted to savor!
Yields2 ServingsPrep Time25 minsCook Time8 hrsTotal Time8 hrs 25 mins
Ingredients
Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons
1tbsporganic miso (mellow yellow or chickpea)
3tbspnutritional yeast
½tspgarlic powder
½tsponion powder
¼cupwater
2cupschickpeas (home-cooked or BPA-free canned, drained, rinsed, and dried with a towel)
Caesar Dressing
½cupraw cashews (soaked in room temp water for 4 hours or hot water for 30 minutes)
½cupwater
1tbsptahini
1tbsplemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1tspdijon mustard
1small garlic clove
½tbspWorcestershire sauce (vegan)
2tbspVegan Walnut Parmesan (link in Chef’s Notes)
2tspcapers
salt (optional)
ground black pepper (optional)
Salad Ingredients
6cupsorganic kale (chopped)
½cuporganic tomatoes (chopped)
½cupred onion (thinly sliced)
Directions
1
Make the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons: Add the miso, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and water to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together until the miso is dissolved.
2
Transfer the chickpeas to the bowl and stir until they’re coated in the cheesy mixture.
3
Spread the chickpeas out evenly on your prepared dehydrator trays (with either parchment paper or dehydrator sheets on top of the trays).
4
Set the dehydrator to 118–122 degrees F and dehydrate for 8 hours, tossing halfway through.
5
Make the Caesar dressing: Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender, including the 2 tablespoons of Vegan Walnut Parmesan, and blend until creamy.
6
Taste for additional flavors of choice — more lemon for acidity, more parmesan for cheesy, or more garlic for garlicky. Set aside.
7
Add the kale to a large bowl.
8
Add three tablespoons of Caesar dressing to the kale and massage the dressing into the kale with clean hands. Massage until the kale is slightly wilted, about 30–60 seconds.
9
Add the tomatoes and onions and toss.
10
Add the remaining Caesar dressing (or less if you prefer lighter dressing).
11
Divide kale caesar salad between two bowls and top with the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons.
Chef's Notes
Substitutions Substitute another white bean for chickpeas like great northern, cannellini, or navy beans.
In place of kale, use spinach, chard, or other leafy green of choice.
Instead of red onion, use yellow or white onion, or shallots.
Use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the whole clove.
In place of Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons, use other vegan croutons of choice.
Nut-free Use sunflower seeds in place of cashews for the Caesar dressing.
Traditional Oven Directions To make the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons, heat the oven to 170 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Evenly space chickpeas along the baking sheet and dehydrate them for 4–6 hours, tossing halfway through.
Prep Ahead Make the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three months.
Make the Caesar dressing with the Vegan Walnut Parmesan ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Storage Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons
1tbsporganic miso (mellow yellow or chickpea)
3tbspnutritional yeast
½tspgarlic powder
½tsponion powder
¼cupwater
2cupschickpeas (home-cooked or BPA-free canned, drained, rinsed, and dried with a towel)
Caesar Dressing
½cupraw cashews (soaked in room temp water for 4 hours or hot water for 30 minutes)
½cupwater
1tbsptahini
1tbsplemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1tspdijon mustard
1small garlic clove
½tbspWorcestershire sauce (vegan)
2tbspVegan Walnut Parmesan (link in Chef’s Notes)
2tspcapers
salt (optional)
ground black pepper (optional)
Salad Ingredients
6cupsorganic kale (chopped)
½cuporganic tomatoes (chopped)
½cupred onion (thinly sliced)
Directions
1
Make the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons: Add the miso, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and water to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together until the miso is dissolved.
2
Transfer the chickpeas to the bowl and stir until they’re coated in the cheesy mixture.
3
Spread the chickpeas out evenly on your prepared dehydrator trays (with either parchment paper or dehydrator sheets on top of the trays).
4
Set the dehydrator to 118–122 degrees F and dehydrate for 8 hours, tossing halfway through.
5
Make the Caesar dressing: Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender, including the 2 tablespoons of Vegan Walnut Parmesan, and blend until creamy.
6
Taste for additional flavors of choice — more lemon for acidity, more parmesan for cheesy, or more garlic for garlicky. Set aside.
7
Add the kale to a large bowl.
8
Add three tablespoons of Caesar dressing to the kale and massage the dressing into the kale with clean hands. Massage until the kale is slightly wilted, about 30–60 seconds.
9
Add the tomatoes and onions and toss.
10
Add the remaining Caesar dressing (or less if you prefer lighter dressing).
11
Divide kale caesar salad between two bowls and top with the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons.
Notes
Kale Caesar Salad with Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons
