A vegan twist on the classic Caesar—this Kale and Butter Bean Caesar Salad is crunchy, creamy and as nutritious as it is flavoursome.
There's something special about this kale and butter bean caesar salad. I mean, obvs its perfect and beautiful and looks like a model, but it's also a totally vegan, gluten free, hugely nutritious twist on the old classic without compromising on flavour!
I use a mix of kale and romaine to give a balance of crunch and nutrition, and I replace the croutons with crispy, miso dressed butter beans. It's got plenty of protein, iron and fibre, but most importantly, it's blummin delicious!
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🍛 Ingredients for kale and butter bean caesar salad
I'll break the ingredients down into three camps: stuff you'll need for the crispy butter beans, stuff you'll need for the kale caesar salad itself and stuff you'll need for the dressing! As always, feel free to skip to the recipe - it's right at the bottom of the page - or stick around to learn some stuff!
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For the Crispy Butterbeans:
- Canned butterbeans
- Olive oil
- Miso paste
- Paprika
- Salt and pepper
Salad:
- Kale
- Romaine lettuce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
Dressing:
- Avocado, very ripe
- Silken tofu
- Lemon zest & juice
- Dijon mustard
- Capers
- Garlic
- Salt & pepper
- Plant milk
📝 Some healthy credentials!
The power of kale! Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, boasting a remarkable array of health benefits. Packed with vitamins A, K, and C, as well as antioxidants, this leafy green promotes vision health, strengthens bones, and supports the immune system, making it a stellar addition to any delish salad.
The great tofu swap! Most caesar salad dressings are made with mayonnaise, but for this vegan version, we've used avocado and tofu for a lower fat, higher protein option!
Beans not gluten! Everyone knows the crunch is the most important part of any good caesar salad, and this recipe doesn't disappoint. However this salad brings the crunch in the form of crispy toasted butter beans instead of croutons. This means the recipe is totally gluten free!
🍛 How to make kale and butter bean caesar salad
Here's how to make this game changing kale and butter bean caesar salad! Full recipe at the bottom of the page - head there if you're in a hurry!
1. Dress to impress:
- Blend all dressing ingredients until smooth.
- Adjust consistency with plant milk if needed.
- Refrigerate the dressing until showtime.
2. Crispy Butterbean Magic:
- Preheat your oven or air fryer.
- Season and roast butterbeans until golden and crispy.
- Let them cool – if you can resist snacking on them!
3. Kale Transformation:
- Massage kale with olive oil and sea salt until darker and more flexible.
- Add romaine lettuce and coat with that luscious caesar dressing.
4. Bring it All Together:
- Sprinkle those crispy butterbeans.
- Toss, serve immediately, and get ready for a standing ovation!
🤷♀️ Kale and butter bean caesar salad FAQs
A: Absolutely! The dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a jar for whenever those salad cravings hit. It keeps for around a week.
A: Firstly, be sure to dry the butter beans after washing and before roasting. Secondly, make sure to let the roasted butterbeans cool completely before adding them to the salad. This will maintain their delightful crunch.
A: Feel free to get creative! While kale and romaine steal the show, you can experiment with other greens like spinach or rocket/arugula.
Did you enjoy this kale and butter bean caesar salad? Looking for some more delicious salads? Why not try my crunchy edamame salad instead? Looking for something hot for dinner? Give my Creamy Tempeh Tikka Masala a try!
Kale and Butter Bean Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 avocado very ripe
- 110 g silken tofu
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3 teaspoon capers
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6-8 tablespoon plant milk
For the Crispy Butter Beans
- 470 g cooked butter beans 2x 400g cans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 75 g curly kale de-stemmed, washed and dried
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
- 1 head of romaine lettuce roughly chopped
Instructions
To Make the Dressing
- Place all the dressing ingredients into a blender. Blend until creamy and smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the blender a few times to ensure everything is well incorporated. If the dressing is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of plant milk until you reach your desired consistency.1 avocado, 110 g silken tofu, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon dijon mustard, 3 teaspoon capers, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 6-8 tablespoon plant milk
- Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make the Crispy Butterbeans
- Preheat your oven to 160 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If using an air fryer that needs preheating, do this now.
- Drain the can of beans and rinse the beans thoroughly under cold water. This helps remove excess starch and improves their crispiness.470 g cooked butter beans
- Place the butterbeans on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and gently pat them dry. It's important to remove as much moisture as possible to achieve crispy results.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dried butterbeans with olive oil, miso paste, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss the beans and gently massage with your fingers until they are evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon white miso paste, 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Spread the seasoned butterbeans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure they are not overcrowded; you want them to roast, not steam. If using an air fryer, spread in one layer in the basket of your machine.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven (or place the tray in the air fryer) and roast the butterbeans for 30-25 minutes, shaking the tray half way through, or until very crispy and golden brown. If air frying, this will take around 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven or air fryer and leave to cool completely.
To Make the Salad
- Roughly tear the kale and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the flaky sea salt. Massage the kale with your fingers until it’s darker in colour and more flexible.75 g curly kale, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, Pinch of flaky sea salt
- Add the romaine lettuce and dress with some of the caesar dressing. Sprinkle with the crispy butter beans and toss to coat. Serve immediately and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a day.1 head of romaine lettuce
Sue Makin
Love this healthy & delicious recipe.
All that nutritional information is invaluable too. Thank you Rich