Vegan Tahini Caesar with Chickpeas and Crispy Kale

There are so many ways to transform a traditional Caesar dressing. This recipe is vegan friendly and takes only a few minutes to prepare. This Vegan Tahini Caesar with Chickpeas and Crispy Kale is creamy, crunchy and loaded with delicious Middle Eastern spices.

Looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that's both healthy and delicious? This vegan tahini Caesar salad is sure to satisfy! The dressing takes only a few minutes to prepare and your blender will do the majority of the work. A riff on the NYT vegan Caesar, but with a few twists of my own — the chickpeas get a za’atar coating for extra crunch and brightness, and the dressing is tweaked with deeper umami notes so it tastes a little fuller and more savory than the original.

Ingredients for Vegan Tahini Caesar with Chickpeas and Crispy Kale

You can dress the salad however you like, but I love adding some crunch to the salad with crispy chickpeas and kale. Simply roast them in the oven with olive oil and za'atar and the result is undeniably delicious!

Salad:

• chickpeas
• extra virgin olive oil
• za'atar - za'atar is an extremely flavorful middle eastern spice blend. If you don't have any on hand, you can make your own blend using dried oregano, dried thyme, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, salt and sumac.
• kale
• romaine lettuce
• salt and pepper
• sesame seeds - optional garnish.

Dressing:

• raw cashews
• garlic cloves
• tahini - tahini adds a beautiful creaminess to the dressing along with a subtle toasted sesame flavor.
• nutritional yeast
• miso paste
• Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• brine from a jar of capers
• lemon juice
• fine sea salt
• black pepper
• water

Here's what else you'll need:

• rimmed baking sheet
• spatula
• blender
• cutting board and knife
• large dish for serving

How to Make Vegan Tahini Caesar with Chickpeas and Crispy Kale

Salad:

1. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, za'atar, salt and pepper. Roast the chickpeas.
2. Remove the chickpeas from the oven and toss. Toss the kale with ¼ cup of dressing and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the kale to the baking sheet, then roast in the oven until chickpeas and kale are nicely crisped. Set aside.

Dressing:

1. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add more water if dressing is too thick.
2. Salad assembly: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce and remaining kale. Pour a small amount of dressing over the salad and toss. Divide the salad amongst 2 to 4 individual bowls (depending on how hungry you are) then top with crispy kale, chickpeas and garnish with sesame seeds.

More Vegan Recipes

• Easy Vegan Massaman Curry
• Creamy Lemony Orzo with Grilled Corn and Asparagus
• No Churn Vegan Black Raspberry Ice Cream
• Curried Shepherd’s Pie
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Pudding (Vegan)

View all vegan recipes here

Please let me know how your Vegan Tahini Caesar with Chickpeas and Crispy Kale turns out in the comments below! 

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