Go Back

Tahini Kale Caesar with Smoky Tempeh

This vegan kale caesar is made with tender kale, crunchy veggies, and smoky tempeh tossed in a creamy, tangy tahini dressing.
PRINT
vegan kale caesar salad in bowl
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Smoky Tempeh

  • 8 oz tempeh cut into small cubes
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast
  • ½ tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke optional

Tahini Dressing (make half if you don't want leftover dressing)

  • 5 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 ½ tsp miso
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2-4 tbsp water or more as needed

Kale Caesar

  • ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ bunch kale
  • ½ head romaine lettuce chopped, or more kale
  • 1 small carrot shredded
  • 1 cucumber thinly sliced into half moons

Toppings (Optional)

  • hemp seeds
  • nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan cheese
  • croutons
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Smoky Tempeh

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Tip: If you have time, you can let the tempeh marinate for 30 minutes or up to a day before. In this case, don't preheat the oven until you're ready to bake the tempeh.
  • Steam tempeh: Add tempeh cubes to a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tbsp of water. Cover and microwave for 1 minute to steam.
  • Season: Mix tempeh with remaining ingredients. If you have time, marinate the tempeh for at least 30 minutes.
  • Bake: Arrange tempeh spaced apart on the lined baking sheet - try not to let the pieces touch. Bake 10 minutes, then flip tempeh and bake another 10 minutes or until crisped on the edges.

Tahini Dressing

  • Add all dressing ingredients to a jar and shake well to combine. Taste and add more salt/pepper/vinegar if desired. Store in fridge until ready to use.
    Tip: Dressing will thicken more as it sits, so you may need to add extra water.

Kale Caesar

  • Prep onions: Add red onion slices to a small bowl. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Toss and set aside to let the onion flavor mellow.
  • Massage kale: Remove kale stems and tear or chop the leaves. Add to a large mixing bowl and drizzle some of the tahini dressing over. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale until kale is dark green and tender (about 2 minutes).
  • Toss: Add romaine lettuce, carrot, and cucumbers. Drain liquid from the onions and add onions to the salad. Add in the baked tempeh. Drizzle tahini dressing over and toss until well combined. Sprinkle desired toppings on and serve.
    Tip: Wait to dress the salad until you're ready to serve or the lettuce may wilt. Alternatively, use an entire bunch of kale instead of romaine lettuce, so leftovers will still be crunchy.