Kale Caesar Salad with Salmon

February 10, 2021 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

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Caesar salad is one of those ubiquitous dishes you can find almost anywhere. It’s popular for good reason, too — it tastes so good, and when you make it correctly, like the kale Caesar salad recipe I’m about to share with you, it can be healthy, too.

But let’s be honest. Even though it has “salad” in the name, a typical Caesar salad isn’t the best for you.

That as, as I noted, until you meet my kale Caesar salad. We keep the basics — greens and that finger-lickin’ dressing — and then turn it up a notch. With salmon, apple slices and cheese, this is one healthy Caesar salad you won’t be able to get enough of.

Is Caesar Salad Actually Healthy?

Did you know that Caesar salad is actually named after a chef, Caesar Cardini, who created the dish in a rush to throw together a salad with the ingredients on hand? He certainly did quite well.

Caesar salads are super tasty. Sadly, there’s not much to them.

With just romaine lettuce, croutons, a creamy dressing and Parmesan cheese, there’s a serious lack of filling, fiber-rich ingredients or protein (aka the things that will help you feel full and satiated). It’s no surprise that you’re likely to be hungry soon after eating a regular Caesar salad.

Additionally, a classic Caesar salad is about 200 calories per cup. That doesn’t sound too bad until you realize that a restaurant serving of Caesar is about triple or quadruple that amount, and aside from the lettuce, there’s not too much nutritional value.

Yikes! Not so with this kale Caesar.

Nutrition Facts

This Caesar salad makeover is the salad you didn’t know you were missing, and it’s so good for you! In each serving of salad with the cashew cream dressing, you’ll get:

542 calories
37.81 grams carbohydrates
20.59 grams protein
38.21 grams fat
7 grams fiber
1.723 milligrams copper (191 percent DV)
2.779 milligrams manganese (154 percent DV)
114.6 micrograms vitamin K (127 percent DV)
7.24 milligrams zinc (91 percent DV)
1589 IU vitamin A (68 percent DV)
35.7 milligrams vitamin C (48 percent DV)
5.71 milligrams vitamin E (39 percent DV)

First, we’ll swap out some of the romaine lettuce for baby kale. You’ll get the superfood’s supply of vitamins A, C and K thanks to this simple swap, along with its anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidants.

Kale is awesome for your heart — it lowers cholesterol — and helps get rid of toxins in the body. All hail the kale in this healthy salad!

A fun addition to this kale Caesar salad is the wild-caught salmon. I love using this oily fish instead of chicken to bulk up the salad for a ton of reasons.

Salmon is packed with vitamins, especially B vitamins and vitamin D, and it’s one of my favorite anti-inflammatory foods.

Best of all, salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

Our bodies need omega-3s to stay healthy, but we’re not able to produce them on our own. That means we have to seek out foods that are rich in the fatty acids.

Omega-3s are fantastic at helping our heart keep ticking, keeping our brains sharp and even reducing the risk of cancer.

Not getting enough of this essential fatty acid can result in inflammation, allergies, a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline — especially as we age. In other words, you want to ensure you’re getting enough omega-3s!

Luckily, salmon is chock-full of the stuff, but be sure you opt for wild-caught salmon and not the farmed variety. Farmed fish have less nutrients than their wild counterparts and are more likely to have antibiotics, pesticides and other toxins.

One of my favorite changes in this kale Caesar salad is the addition of thin-sliced green apple. One of the best aspects of croutons is the crunch they add to an otherwise limp salad, but it has no real nutritional value. Adding crisp apple slices provides a delicious crunch that’s also good for you.

The delicious cashew Caesar dressing that’s drizzled on top is also totally dairy-free. You might find yourself whipping it up for other recipes, too.

How to Make Kale Caesar Salad

You can make this Caesar salad as a side dish or serve it as a main; it’s that good. Ready to chow down?

Start by making the cashew Caesar dressing and setting it aside. Then in a large mixing bowl, combine the kale and romaine.

Next, add in the sliced apple…

…and then the radish. There’s so much color going on in this kale Caesar salad!

Pour the dressing over the salad.

Then use your hands to mix it all up until it’s well-combined. We want a taste of that delicious cashew dressing in every bite!

Add the salad to a large salad bowl, and then finish it off with the final ingredients: the salmon, manchego cheese and green onions.

Sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper, serve and enjoy!

Other Great Salad Recipes