Vegan Kale & Roastsed Chickpea Caesar salad
Contributed By Carlyanne Pruger of White Table Catering
A goal we’ve had since we moved into our new house was to plant a vegetable garden and with all this extra time, we finally did it! Kale is something we eat a lot of, so naturally we decided to grow it.
Classic Ceasar salad is always a crowd pleaser, but as a catering company owner, I know that for large crowds it’s not always the best option as it’s difficult to keep crisp and fresh. Romain lettuce wilts very quickly once dressed, so when making Ceasar Salad it’s important to serve fairly quickly after tossing it. This can be problematic for both events such as BBQs with friends when food is often left out for awhile.
So with health and freshness being two major priorities in both our family life at home and White Table Catering, we decided to make a twist on the popular classic salad and create a Kale Ceasar Salad with crispy chickpeas instead of croutons and pickled red onion for that acidic twist. It has become one of our signature salads and most popular menu items on our buffets and family style menus. The Kale not only makes it a healthier option but it also holds way better allowing for all your guests to have a fresh salad without having to wolf it down in the first 10 minutes!
It’s perfect for summer and hearty enough to last and be left out at a potluck or for a patio dinner in the warmer weather. With many of our clients and friends being vegan, we also created this delicious vegan Caesar dressing, making this new recipe a healthy staple for your family and crowd pleaser for all to enjoy!
VEGAN KALE & ROASTED CHICKPEA CAESAR SALAD
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients:
1 Can Chickpeas
½ Cup Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic
1 Tsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Capers
1 Tsp Grainy Dijon
1/2 Red onions
2 oz White Vinegar
¼ Cup Water
1 Lemon
1 Large Bunch Kale
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Chickpeas:
Drain, rinse and dry chickpeas. Toss chickpeas in a bowl with two tbsp of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 min at 400f in a cast-iron skillet or silicone lined pan until crispy. Set aside half of your crispy chickpeas for the garnish and place the remaining chickpeas along with the roasted garlic into a blender.
Pickled Red Onions:
Slice your red onion into thin slices. Place the onion slices into a Ziploc bag with white vinegar and a pinch of salt. Massage the bag so that the vinegar is evenly distributed around the onion and place into a fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge when finished and strain.
Dressing:
Zest one lemon and place zest aside. Juice the same lemon and add the juice into the blender with the roasted chickpeas and garlic. Add the remaining olive oil, one clove of fresh garlic, capers, tahini, grainy dijon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use water to get your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste. For a sharper taste add more capers, garlic or lemon juice.
Salad:
Wash kale well. Remove the stems by hand and cut the remaining kale into pieces. Massage the kale roughly with your hands. It will break down the fibres and be easier to eat. Toss the kale in the dressing and garnish with lemon zest, pickled red onions and crispy chickpeas.
Enjoy!
Carlyanne Pruger
Director of Events, White Table Catering Co
@whitetablecatering @carlyannepruger
www.whitetablecatering.com