Inspired by Kali’s obsession with kale caesars during her travels in New York, Palm Greens’ twist on the recipe came from her desire to create a vegan alternative that matches up in richness and umami.
As satisfying as it is nutritionally complete, Palm Greens’ vegan kale caesar features bitter cavolo nero, sweet baby gem, and garlic butterbeans textured with crispy capers, toasted nori, sourdough croutons, and finished with a citrussy sunflower seed dressing. The end result is every bit as creamy and crunchy as the classic.
The perfect plant-based dish to try this spring, recreate this healthy and indulgent salad that will leave you feeling both satisfied and nourished.
Serves 4
Ingredients and Method
For the dressing:
50g sunflower seeds
5g garlic
25g lemon juice
30g apple cider vinegar
15g dijon mustard
15g capers
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
15g nutritional yeast
1 nori sheet, lightly toasted*
75g olive oil
175g water
For the salad topping:
50g sunflower seeds, toasted
60g bread
5g nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove, grated
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
For the salad:
2 baby gem lettuce
30g breadcrumbs
60g kohlrabi
100g cooked quinoa
50g cavolo nero
2 nori sheets, toasted
40g dressing
For the croutons:
100g sourdough bread
10ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
HOW TO MAKE
Step 1: Start by preparing the croutons. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees and dice the sourdough bread into small cubes. In a large bowl combine with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Evenly spread out over a tray and bake for 8 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare your salad dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend for a minute until smooth.
Step 3: For the salad topping, toast your sunflower seeds on a low heat in a large pan until they start to pop. Remove from the pan and cool.
Step 4: Blitz your bread in a food processor until you have a rough crumb. Heat the frying pan, add oil, then the breadcrumbs, and toast on a medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until crispy.
Step 5: Grate in the garlic to your breadcrumbs, give it a good mix, and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the lemon zest.
Step 6: Come back to your toasted sunflower seeds, blitz them in the food processor until you have a rough crumb. Add the breadcrumbs, blitzed sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to a medium bowl and mix through.
Step 7: Toast the nori sheets by waving over an open flame using tongs. If you don’t have an open flame, put them on an oiled baking tray and bake in the oven at 190°C for 3-4 minutes.
Step 8: Prepare the salad by washing and cutting the ends off the leaves. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with the rest of the ingredients until the leaves are well coated. Serve and enjoy.
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