Really the Best Ever Vegan Kale Caesar
One of the gardeners is a student at UCLA. Whenever, I drop her off or pick her up from school, we love to grab a bite to eat in the hip spots in and around Westwood. Ever the sweet and thoughtful daughter, she goes out of her way to find places that offer tasty vegan options for me. One day I will put that list together, but for now, enter Broxton in Westwood, which describes itself as a “brewery and public house.” I would describe it as one of the most vegan friendly non vegan restaurants ever. :) Find it here. The vegan options are many and the food (think comfort) is so good that this spot has been on repeat. There’s a lot to like here for vegans and non-vegans, but it’s their Kale Caesar that I find myself craving on the reg. I decided to see if I could knock off their salad, and I think with the help of Loving it Vegan’s caesar dressing (find her site here), the recipe that follows is every bit as good as Broxton’s and maybe better. Sorry Broxton! Oh and one more thing, this has been taste-tested by a lot of non-vegans and has gotten rave reviews. This may well become your signature salad.
THE DRESSING credit to “ Loving it Vegan”
I have made quite a few vegan caesar dressings and this is hands down the winner. Makes 1 cup. I double or even triple the recipe as it keeps well in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 cup Vegan Mayonnaise (Vegannaise is the best.)
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
2 tsp Capers (Plus a teaspoon or so of caper juice.)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce*
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp White Vinegar
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a large measuring cup and blend with an immersion blender. (Preferred method)
Alternatively add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
Serve as a dressing for a vegan caesar salad or any salad, or as a dip.
Notes
*If you are like me and like a tart dressing, add a little more white vinegar and/or lemon juice in addition to the caper juice. Just be sure to not add too much as the dressing should be creamy, not runny.
*Use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari if you want this dressing to be gluten-free.
THE SALAD a riff on Broxton’s
Ingredients
Approximately 8 cups of lacinto or curly kale, chopped or torn with tough stems removed. To save time I buy the prepped bag of kale and then go through it one more time to remove any remaining stems.
1 large avocado or 2 small
Sourdough Croutons ( I prefer homemade for taste and texture. Quick recipe below. )
Fried Capers (Find recipe here.)
Instructions
Add kale to a large mixing salad bowl. Drizzle with approximately 1 Tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice. Massage by hand to remove some of the bitterness and soften the texture. Do not skip this step.
Cut avocado into large chunks and add to salad bowl
Toss with dressing, croutons and fried capers. (Reserve a few croutons and fried capers to sprinkle on top of the salad for presentation.)
CROUTONS
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cut the day old sourdough bread into squares. Add the olive oil, salt, oregano, basil or herb of choice to a large bowl. Add in the bread cubes and toss so that they are all lightly coated. Transfer to a parchment lined baking tray. Drizzle on a little extra olive oil.
Bake for 15 minutes, turning over once halfway. If the croutons are not yet crispy enough after 15 minutes, leave them in for a few minutes longer.
You simply cannot wrong with this creamy, flavorful dressing. Of course it works for a traditional Caesar of romaine, but consider customizing for a Mexican Caesar salad with roasted pepitos and tortilla strips in lieu of capers and croutons or use it in a heartier salad with garbanzos, tomatoes and more.
I hope you enjoy this crowd-pleaser as as much as I do.
Kathryn
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