close

Want more recipes?

Download our recipe app and get hundreds of whole-food, plant-based recipes at your fingertips.

4.7
description
Download the app
How about more time, money and energy this holiday season? TRY FORKS MEAL PLANNER FREE FOR 14 DAYS START YOUR FREE TRIAL
no credit card required
  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 10 cups
  • print/save recipe

All kale Caesar! This quick and satisfying salad is perfect for a light lunch or paired with a veggie burger as a side dish. The cashew-based Caesar dressing comes together quickly and adds a luscious creaminess to a fresh mixture of hearty quinoa, earthy kale, and sweet tomatoes. Don’t forget the crunchy homemade croutons! (To make gluten-free, use certified gluten-free bread)

This recipe is from Forks Meal Planner, which features more than 1,000 exclusive recipes and customizable weekly meal plans to simplify healthy plant-based eating. Try Forks Meal Planner for free today.

By Nancy Macklin, RDN,

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (1 cup cooked)
  • 2 slices whole-grain bread, cut into large cubes
  • 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 6 oz. baby kale (6 cups)
  • 6 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved (1 cup)
  • ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
  • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
  • 1⅓ tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a saucepan over high heat, bring quinoa and ⅔ cup water to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool; fluff quinoa with a fork.
  2. In a bowl, soak cashews in very hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the water and rinse nuts.
  3. Bake bread crumbs on a baking sheet around 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from heat and let cool.
  4. In a bowl, combine chickpeas, cooked quinoa, kale, and tomatoes.
  5. In a high-powered blender (or food processor), combine soaked cashews, vinegar, plant milk, Dijon mustard, and garlic. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour about half the Caesar dressing over kale salad; toss to coat. Top with croutons and serve with remaining dressing on the side.
tags:
(4)
8 Comments

Comments (8)

(4.5 from 4 votes)
Your Rating has been added Your Comment has been added
Add a Comment and/or Rating
Leave a Reply
Recipe Rating
Please provide a rating
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
You need to provide a comment or rating to submit
Brenda4 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Kale is not my favorite. The dressing is good but needs some oil so the salad isn’t so dry. The croutons should be seasoned before backing as they were tasteless.

Keri5 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

One of my favorites. I make it over and over again!

Eegliotee9 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Amazing My new favorite salad ❤️

Christine Kirsche12 months ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

We really enjoyed this. The dressing will be made for other greens as well. A perfect side dish. We all enjoyed it.

Janice Carey1 year ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Do you ever include the nutritional information for your recipes? I need the total carbohydrates per serving and the serving size, please.

Jennifer7 months ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

I want to know if this refrigerates well for leftovers?

Judy11 months ago
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Janice–look at RealPlans dot com. They have a free version and you can import recipes fro websites.

Wawi Joseph1 year ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Beautiful and simple

Healthy eatingshouldn't be a hassle

With weekly meal plans, Forks Meal Planner takes the hard work out of making nutritious meals the whole family will enjoy.

Get meal planner

Discover finger-lickin’good food with our app

Get inspired! Our chefs add delicious new plant-based recipes every week to keep mealtime exciting and satisfying.

Get the recipe app
Headshot of Nancy Macklin
about the author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.

see more from this author
Forks Meal Planner Free Plan
Free download

Free 5-Day Meal Plan!

Get a taste for healthy, fuss-free meal planning with this free five-day meal plan from Forks Meal Planner!

More from Forks Over Knives

Join our mailing list

Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.

Copy link
CopyCopied
Powered by Social Snap