Here’s how to make a delicious Caesar salad, with all vegan ingredeints. A rich, creamy, and totally crave-worthy dressing, with crushed pistachios, pecans, and crispy polenta croutons on the greens.
Vegan-ized Caesar dressing.
This is big. I mean, Breaking News big – at least in my house. Since I became vegan about 10 years ago, Caesar Salad has probably been my single most-lamented, yearned-for recipe. 
But Caesar Salad is back on our menu now… and it’s better than ever!
Traditional romaine gets a colorful makeover with the addition of tender baby kale and crunchy red cabbage shreds. Then, the salad is finished with a rich, creamy, and totally crave-worthy dressing, and topped with crushed pistachios, pecans, and crispy polenta croutons! We cannot get enough.
Hope you love this as much as we do!
Click HERE for the dressing recipe.
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Vegan Kale Caesar Salad and Polenta Croutons
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Hearty vegan kale Caesar salad gets a satisfying crunch from crispy polenta croutons. A simple, flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1420 ml) baby kale
- 6 cups (1420 ml) romaine lettuce
- 1 cup (237 ml) shredded red cabbage
- 1 lbs (454 g) prepared polenta
- sprinkle of Kosher salt
- sprinkle of black pepper
- sprinkle of Creole Seasoning
- Crushed raw pistachios and/or pecans
Instructions
- Place salad greens in a large bowl and set aside.
- Prepare polenta croutons and set aside.
- Toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing and refrigerate the remainder.
- Garnish salad with crushed pistachios and/or pecans, top with polenta croutons, and serve immediately.
- Polenta Croutons
- In a large bowl, toss polenta cubes with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning until evenly coated.
- Bake in an air fryer or traditional oven.
- Air Fryer Method:
- Place polenta cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 400°F (204°C) and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Traditional Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Toss polenta cubes onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
Notes
- For extra crispy polenta croutons, ensure they are spread in a single layer on the baking sheet or air fryer basket and avoid overcrowding.
- If you don’t have Creole seasoning, a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper makes a good substitute.
- Store leftover salad and croutons separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Croutons may soften slightly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of pistachios in the Vegan Kale Caesar Salad?
You can substitute crushed almonds or walnuts for the pistachios, keeping in mind that this will change the flavor profile slightly.
How do I prepare the polenta for the croutons?
Cook the polenta according to package instructions, then let it cool before cutting it into cubes and baking until crispy.
Is there a specific type of kale I should use for this salad?
Tender baby kale is recommended for this recipe, as it has a milder flavor and softer texture compared to mature kale.
Are these crisp on the inside?? I literally spent all day trying to make polenta in a way my son would actually like..he lives corn..he’s the pickiest eater and ever since I’ve turned vegan and exed most junk food..I’m a terrible cook ..I spend so much money on food lately and Evan so apparently my cooking is not up to his taste and often mine but I’m easy .. quinoa..or beans or salad with oil and nutritional yeast and garlic and Cheyenne ..Wich makes everything good to my taste ..but not his and I’m afraid I can’t cook for anyone..bc he doesn’t like it so.. anyways..I’m looking for ideas and..I have purchase a large bag of polenta…I seriously have more to do..much more than waste all my time trying to figure out how to cook food that he likes ..he absolutely loves croutons..but I’m obviously not going to go out and buy tons of croutons..got one there’s not much nutrition in them by themselves..so all that talk to basically my question is if these are cry chy inside bc my every attemt at polenta fried ect are mush inside Wich I wouldn’t care so much bc if you put beans with them..but I hafto be able to make food other people like not just me..k thnx..