Kale Caesar Salad With Avocado Dressing And Buttery Garlic Croutons
- 20m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 40m Ready In
A hearty kale Caesar salad with creamy avocado dressing, buttery garlic croutons, and Parmesan. Perfect as a main or side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 118 ml water
- 59.1 ml mayonnaise
- 29.6 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 29.6 ml smoked herring or anchovy paste
- 2 clove garlic
- 4.93 ml Dijon mustard
- 2.46 ml kosher salt
- 118 ml unsalted butter
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 9.86 ml kosher salt
- 1 crusty French bread left uncovered overnight and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 bunch kale stems removed and leaves chopped
- 118 ml Parmesan cheese
- 118 ml pepitas
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 11 of 15 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 251 mg
- Iron: 3.02 mg
- Magnesium: 106 mg
- Phosphorus: 374 mg
- Potassium: 619 mg
- Zinc: 2.47 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 ripe avocado
- 118 ml water
- 59.1 ml mayonnaise
- 29.6 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 29.6 ml smoked herring or anchovy paste
- 2 clove garlic
- 4.93 ml Dijon mustard
- 2.46 ml kosher salt
- 118 ml unsalted butter
- 9.86 ml kosher salt
- 118 ml Parmesan cheese
- 118 ml pepitas
Prepare
- Mince 2 clove garlic
- 1 crusty French bread, left uncovered overnight and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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Step 2.
To make the dressing: Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and peel. Cut one half into cubes and set aside for the salad. Place the other half in a blender with ½ cup water, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons smoked herring or anchovy paste, 2 small cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Step 3.
To make the croutons: In a large frying pan, melt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter with 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons kosher salt over medium heat. Remove from heat, add the bread cubes (from 1 loaf crusty French bread, left uncovered overnight and cut into 1-inch cubes), and toss with a large spoon until evenly coated.
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Step 4.
Spread the coated bread cubes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking for even toasting.
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Step 5.
While the croutons bake, assemble the salad: In a large bowl, place 5 to 6 cups chopped kale (stems removed). Add the dressing and toss with salad spoons or tongs until the kale is well coated. Add a handful of Parmesan cheese and/or pepitas, and toss again.
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Step 6.
Top the dressed kale with the reserved avocado cubes and the baked croutons. Serve immediately.