Minimalist Baker

Simple Food, Simply Delicious

  • about
  • recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • blogger resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Chickpea Caesar Salad (30 Minutes!)

Wood bowls filled with our vegan Chickpea Caesar Salad recipe

Wooden bowl of Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad topped with tandoori chickpeas

Behold: The 30-Minute Chickpea Caesar Salad with vibrant kale, tangy 5-minute Caesar dressing, crispy baked chickpeas, and so much flavor we can hardly contain ourselves.

Let me show you how it’s done!

Ingredients for making our Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad recipe

Start this 30-minute recipe with the dressing: a simple blend of raw cashews (soaking optional, but not necessary!) mustard, garlic, lemon juice, capers, salt, pepper, a little miso paste, maple syrup, and olive oil.

While we love our 5-Minute Caesar Dressing made with hummus, this creamier version wins on flavor and texture by a landslide.

Using our hands to massage a bowl of kale for Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad

If serving with crispy baked chickpeas, prep your kale as the chickpeas bake by massaging it with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

Why massage kale? It softens the sometimes tough texture, removes a little bitterness, and primes the greens for the dressing. In other words, less chewing, better flavor, more enjoyable salad.

All that’s left to do is add your Caesar dressing and crispy chickpeas!

Drizzling chickpea caesar salad dressing onto chopped kale

We hope you LOVE this salad! It’s:

Crunchy
Fresh
Flavorful
Satisfying
Customizable
& Incredibly delicious

This would make the perfect side to just about any main, especially our Garlic White Wine Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Pasta, Garlic Chili Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, and Creamy Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes.

Into salads? Be sure to check out our Loaded Kale Salad, Easy (Oil-Free) Ranch Dressing, Savory Breakfast Salad, Apple Pecan Arugula Salad, and Herbed Green Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Using wooden salad spoons to toss a bowl of Chickpea Kale Salad topped with tandoori chickpeas

Print
Using salad tongs to pick up a serving of our delicious Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
4.84 from 18 votes

Chickpea Caesar Salad

This Chickpea Caesar Salad is ready in just 30 minutes! Kale provides a hearty base while the zesty cashew Caesar dressing brings the whole dish to life. The perfect side to any main!

Author: Minimalist Baker
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 (Servings)
Category: Salad
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

SALAD

  • 1 batch Tandoori Spiced Chickpeas
  • 2 large bundles lacinato or curly kale, chopped or torn (2 large bundles equals ~16 ounces | 554 g)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional)

DRESSING

  • 1 cup raw cashews (option to soak overnight in cool water, or in hot water for 1 hour)
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 8-12 medium cloves fresh garlic, chopped
  • 4 tsp capers in brine
  • 2 tsp brine juice from capers
  • 6 Tbsp lemon juice (2 large lemons yield ~6 Tbsp or 90 ml)
  • 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup hot water (plus more to thin)
  • 1 tsp chickpea (or soy) miso paste
  • 1 tsp pure maple syrup (or sub Stevia to taste)

Instructions

  1. If serving with crispy chickpeas, prepare at this time (see link above).

  2. To prepare dressing, add raw cashews, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, capers, brine juice (from capers), lemon juice, olive oil, hot water, miso paste, and maple syrup to a small or high-speed blender. Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add enough water to thin until pourable.
  3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon or mustard for zing, salt or capers for saltiness, olive oil for creaminess, maple syrup to sweeten, or miso for more depth of flavor. Set aside.

  4. Add kale to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp (15 ml) each olive oil and lemon juice as recipe is written. Massage by hand to remove some of the bitterness and soften the texture (see photo).

  5. Add desired amount of dressing, plus vegan parmesan cheese and hemp seeds (both optional). Toss to coat and top with crispy chickpeas. Serve immediately. There may be leftover dressing, which will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days. Not freezer friendly.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with lesser amount of garlic and olive oil and without optional ingredients.
*Recipe adapted from our Kale Caesar Salad from Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking.

Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6 servings)

  • Calories: 253
  • Fat: 19.3g
  • Saturated fat: 3g
  • Sodium: 334mg
  • Potassium: 561mg
  • Carbohydrates: 17.4g
  • Fiber: 3.9g
  • Sugar: 4.5g
  • Protein: 7.8g
instagram camera

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker.

FacebookTwitterPin It

49 Comments 30 minutes or less, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Fall, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Italian-Inspired, Recipes, Refined Sugar-Free, Salad, Savory, Sides, Soy-Free, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

← Smoky 1-Pot Refried Lentils
Easy Bibimbap with Gochujang Sauce →
Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

danaHi, I'm Dana! I am a food stylist, photographer, creator of Food Photography School and author of Everyday Cooking.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and read more about us here!

Leave a Comment & Rating Cancel reply

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

All commentsI made thisQuestions
  1. Avatar for KassiKassi says

    October 27, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    Would it still have the same umami flavour if I omitted the miso paste? My grocery store is all out

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      October 28, 2019 at 7:47 am

      It will have a different flavor, but it’s not critical!

      Reply
  2. Avatar for Stephanie CogenStephanie Cogen says

    September 8, 2019 at 12:01 pm

    I only made the dressing, which was great, but I will use less garlic. I was skeptical of the 8-12 cloves, so I used 4 large ones, and it was still overwhelming. But otherwise fantastic.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      September 8, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie!

      Reply
  3. Avatar for KariKari says

    September 2, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    This was so easy to make and is so good!! I added tomatoes and they work perfectly. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      September 2, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Kari!

      Reply
  4. Avatar for BreeBree says

    August 26, 2019 at 10:43 am

    Loved this recipe! My husband who loves traditional caesar dressing stated that this was the best one he’d ever had. Made the crispy chickpeas and just seasoned with some garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes. I also had some jalapeno olive oil so used half of that in the dressing along with regular olive oil. Added a nice bit of spiciness to the dressing.

    Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      August 26, 2019 at 11:01 am

      So glad you both enjoyed it, Bree! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Avatar for EmilyEmily says

    August 24, 2019 at 9:36 pm

    This was amazing! The dressing was the best caesar dressing I’ve ever had (vegan or not)! It was also really easy to put together. So excited to make this again!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      August 26, 2019 at 10:20 am

      Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Emily! xo

      Reply
  6. Avatar for BeccaBecca says

    August 6, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    How much does the dressing makes like a cup?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      August 6, 2019 at 3:04 pm

      Roughly 1 – 1 1/4 cups!

      Reply
  7. Avatar for KatieKatie says

    July 24, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    AMAZING! This recipe has become my staple lunch/dinner option – it’s a great go-to for a quick and hearty meal. I’ve probably made it at least twice a week for the past couple months and it never disappoints.

    In an attempt to become more conscious about my oil consumption, I just tried a modification to the original dressing recipe that omits the olive oil and water, and replaced with 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk. This modification yielded less of a ‘Caesar’ taste but still produced a creamy garlic dressing that I enjoyed just as much as the original version.

    Thanks for the delicious recipe, Dana! I am obsessed! :)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 25, 2019 at 9:27 am

      Thanks, Katie!

      Reply
  8. Avatar for Katie MichielsKatie Michiels says

    July 16, 2019 at 6:15 am

    Made this recipe for the first time at a dinner party last night with a few friends – it was a MASSIVE hit. It was only supposed to be the side but turned out to be the star of the party. I wasn’t allowed to take the leftovers home because the hosts wanted to keep the rest. But that’s okay – the dressing made enough for two batches that I can now re-create it today for myself & my partner. And it felt awesome to know all of the ingredients in this from scratch :)

    Also – I had the same issue as others – pulsed the vegan parmesan too long and it turned out clumpy. Just put it in the oven as another comment recommended with some more nutritional yeast stirred in and it flaked up a bit again. After the oven, I just broke it up with a fork and you couldn’t tell the difference once it was mixed in with the full salad :)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 16, 2019 at 1:31 pm

      Yay!! Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
  9. Avatar for CatCat says

    July 14, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    What is the benefit to soaking the cashews?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 15, 2019 at 7:31 am

      Hi Cat, it makes them easier to blend and gets the dressing more creamy. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Caroline from GreenEataliaCaroline from GreenEatalia says

    July 13, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    Just made this for dinner and it was a big hit! Omitted capers because I didn’t have any, and it still came out great. Definitely adding into my dinner rotation!

    Reply
  11. Avatar for Shawna JohnstonShawna Johnston says

    July 10, 2019 at 6:41 pm

    Just simply amazing! I added your yeast free Parmesan as well. I can’t. Stop. Eating. It.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 11, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Shawna. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

      Reply
  12. Avatar for CassCass says

    June 26, 2019 at 12:59 am

    Can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks amazing!

    Can I substitute cashew with other seeds or nuts (almond, hemp,…)?
    Thanks! :)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      June 26, 2019 at 2:12 am

      I think blanched almonds or hemp seeds would work well! Or even soaked sunflower seeds, as in this recipe.

      Reply
  13. Avatar for BB says

    June 22, 2019 at 9:54 am

    So, sO, SOOO GOOOD!!! I followed all directions as written (9 raw cloves garlic) and found this salad to be EXTRA extraordinaire!!! The creamy textures mixing with the crunch, the salty tang mixing with the slight sweetness …MMMMM!!! THANK YOU for your MAGIC!!!

    Reply
  14. Avatar for TiaTia says

    June 18, 2019 at 5:55 pm

    Just wow! This dressing was so easy to put together and made an amazing dinner salad. That being said, the recipe made close to 2 cups which was WAY more than we needed and we are trying to figure out how to get through so much dressing in the next 7 days. I think I will halve this recipe the next time I make it.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      June 19, 2019 at 8:22 am

      Hi Tia, so glad you enjoyed it! The reason for the quantity of dressing is that making a half batch in a large blender is difficult because the blades don’t get covered and then it doesn’t mix. If you have a small blender such as this one, a half batch will work better!

      Reply
  15. Avatar for ErinErin says

    June 11, 2019 at 8:51 am

    I only made the dressing portion of this recipe and OMG IT IS AMAZING! (Even just on a simple bowl of romaine/cucumbers). This will 100% be a staple in my house from now on. I plan to try the whole recipe in the near future!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      June 11, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks, Erin!!

      Reply
  16. Avatar for Leni FlemingLeni Fleming says

    June 2, 2019 at 11:33 am

    I followed the recipe exactly and loved it, loved it, LOVED it. To me, the best classic Caesar salads are garlicky, and I found the amount here just right. I couldn’t believe how flavorful this dressing was. The capers and brine were a great idea. I actually like it more than traditional Caesar dressings! It is so good on kale or Romaine. After I made it I found myself wanting big salads every day – it really elevated them.
    Definitely a new favorite.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      June 3, 2019 at 8:36 am

      Aww, thanks so much Leni! We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! xo

      Reply
  17. Avatar for KimKim says

    May 28, 2019 at 10:20 am

    I made a variation of this recipe the other day and it was great! Today I made it exactly to the recipe. I love garlic, but the 8 cloves I used was way overpowering. When I make it again I will use only 4 cloves of garlic!

    Reply
    • Avatar for kimkim says

      May 28, 2019 at 10:24 am

      BTW I only gave it 3 stars because of the overpowering garlic. When I make it again with half the amount it will be 5 star category!

      Reply
      • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        May 29, 2019 at 9:30 am

        Thanks for the feedback, Kim! Is it possible that your garlic cloves are on the larger size?

        Reply
  18. Avatar for AmandaAmanda says

    May 25, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    This salad is delicious! My 4-year-old caper-loving (but salad averse) daughter even ate some. I used a tip from another comment and roasted the garlic with the chickpeas. We will definitely keep this in rotation!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 26, 2019 at 9:44 am

      Great! Thanks for sharing, Amanda!

      Reply
  19. Avatar for AnaAna says

    May 21, 2019 at 9:07 am

    Can capers be replaced with anything else or not added at all?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:10 am

      Capers can be omitted here, but they do add that “fishy” ocean flavor that sardines typically provide. If you try it without, let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  20. Avatar for ChristieChristie says

    May 20, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    Oh dangggg, girl! You worked your magic on this dressing – it is so good! I’ve made your spiced chickpeas before and this combination is just heavenly. You keep doing that good work. (I omitted the maple syrup and added vegan parm!)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:10 am

      Yay! Thanks, Christie!

      Reply
  21. Avatar for M Lynne JordanM Lynne Jordan says

    May 20, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    Yum! Made this tonight and it was soooo good! Added some tomatoes (even though they are not traditional for Caesar Salad) and avocado on the side. The dressing is amazing.. I used 1/2 raw 1/2 roasted garlic like another commenter. This will definitely go in my recipe rotation!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:10 am

      SMART! Thanks for sharing, M Lynne!

      Reply
  22. Avatar for NicolaNicola says

    May 20, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    Made this tonight for the first time, a definite win. The dressing is amazing and even pleased my teenage daughter!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:11 am

      Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Nicola!

      Reply
  23. Avatar for EstelleEstelle says

    May 19, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    Oh my the colors here are making my mouth water. I was caught at chickpea Caesar but then you went and added kale!! I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  24. Avatar for MichelleMichelle says

    May 18, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    OMG, this is now my favourite salad. I’m eating it right now. It’s a meal in itself. I made the dressing before I flipped to the chickpea recipe, so I did add the garlic clove to the chick peas but as I had already added a lot of garlic to the dressing, i just threw the roasted cloves into the salad. Beautiful. Best dressing ever!!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:11 am

      Yay!! Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
  25. Avatar for Nancy KilianNancy Kilian says

    May 18, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    Forgot to rate the recipe, so I am doing so now! Tastes great!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      May 21, 2019 at 10:11 am

      Thanks for sharing, Nancy!

      Reply
  26. Avatar for Nancy KilianNancy Kilian says

    May 18, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    Why did u not call this salad “Kale Cesar?” Just had to…

    Reply

mb

Minimalist Baker is a place for recipes requiring 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. All eaters are welcome.
Learn More About Us →
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

©Minimalistbaker.com Terms Privacy Blogger Resources