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kale and butter bean caesar salad

Kale and Butter Bean Caesar Salad

A vegan twist on the classic Caesar—this Kale and Butter Bean Caesar Salad is crunchy, creamy and as nutritious as it is flavoursome.
5 from 14 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: All, American
Keyword: kale caesar salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 516kcal
Author: Richard

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
Metric - US Customary

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

Nutrition

Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Sodium: 1293mg | Potassium: 1396mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5716IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 7mg