This sriracha kale caesar salad turns takes the traditional salad and turns up the heat and health with spicy sriracha and tuscan kale.
My husband is a caesar salad addict. I’m not even slightly exaggerating. When we go out to nice dinners, I have to have a “talk” with him before we leave the house informing him he’s not allowed to order a caesar salad for dinner.
I wish I could be the kind of person who just didn’t care what he eats, but I’m not.
1. It’s a complete waste of an order at any place we go. If he wants to order a caesar salad for lunch while he’s working, sure, totally appropriate. On a night out at a half way decent restaurant, no. Just no.
2. It limits what I get to eat. Damn straight I’m tasting his food. He’s so not a “let me taste your food” kind of person and I so am. He’s not ordering a caesar salad because I want to taste pretty much everything else on the menu besides that.
3. It’s embarrassing. It’s like a grown-up kids meal if that makes sense and comes with a side of “I’m judging you” waiter glances.
4. Half the time, I know he doesn’t even want the stupid salad, he’s just too lazy to look at the rest of the menu and make a decision. I live with the most chill/sometimes verging on lazy person on the planet and the amount of crazy this can sometimes make me isn’t even quantifiable.
So, I made this kale Caesar salad recipe with him in mind and he then proceeded to get all squeamish when he saw me taking out the anchovies for the dressing. To which of course I maturely called him the stupidest Caesar salad fanatic there ever was if he didn’t realize he was eating anchovies all these years in the pounds upon pounds of Caesar dressing he’s consumed.
His face contorted in such a way you’d think I told him he was eating crickets or something, not a measly anchovy.
And that, my friends, is how I think I ended the caesar salad addiction…by making Caesar salad. Go figure.
Try our shrimp Caesar salad too which features a spicy sriracha kick as well!
Sriracha Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the Sriracha Kale Caesar Salad
- 2 bunches tuscan kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 slices day old multigrain bread, torn into pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- salt and pepper
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha, depending on spice preference
- 1 anchovy filet, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Toss bread with olive oil, salt & pepper and sriracha and spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, toss and bake for another 5 until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Combine the kale and parmesan in a large bowl.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- Toss the salad with the dressing until fully coated.
- Top with the croutons and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I have still never made a kale salad. I think it should be time I started. This looks SO good!
This looks amazing! And great photography, Gina!
https://youtube.com/addalittlefood
i have a slight obsession with caesar salad too….your version with kale sounds fantastic.
LOVE the spicy sirracha twist! So interesting!
Caesar salad was the first salad I ever liked and remains one of my favorites to this day. Love this change up!
First of all, that wood salad bowl is gorgeous! I love it!!! Just about much such as I’m loving the sriracha addition to this salad!
Interestingly, crickets may be the protein of the future ;) Cheap and easy to produce in mass quantities. I heard a lecture about it from Paul Rozin (psychology of food professor at my school) about how it really makes logical sense, but the biggest obstacle was people’s disgust!
Also, tangent aside, I love this recipe! I used to love Caesar salad when I was little, and still love the taste… but don’t love that it’s usually the most caloric item on the menu. Using greek yogurt in the dressing is such a cool idea. Definitely trying it out this summer!
haha, funny you say that because literally just yesterday, I read about cricket powder. Of course, the day after I say something like that in a post! Go figure. :)
I love Caesar, and I always feel so mad at myself when I order it when we go to a good restaurant. Sometimes, though I just get a hankering. Kale Caesar on the other hand is another thing all together. I will bust down walls for one. I simply LOVE them and would order one in even the best restaurant.