This Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad gives off caesar salad vibes with a Mediterranean twist. Loaded with massaged kale, buttery olives, flavorful sundried tomatoes, chewy farro, and nutty chopped walnuts, all topped with a Creamy Tahini Dressing this salad is healthy and full of protein and fiber to leave you satisfied. With an easy dairy free option, it is perfect for a filling lunch or as a side to salmon or chicken.
Salads are my favorite go to lunch, easy dinner, or honestly sometimes even breakfast. They are healthy, and I love loading them up with lots of hearty protein, fiber, and nutrients to keep me full. My salads are all about variety, and I love how many different types of salad you can make. Whether it’s leftover grains, roasted vegetables, or cooked protein (like salmon or steak), I love tossing a few random leftovers together with some greens for a quick salad.
With so much variety, my salads are never boring. But the other key to a good salad is making sure it will leave you feeling satisfied and keep you full. No wimpy salads around here!
To make sure my salads are extra filling, I always add in hearty ingredients full of fiber and protein. In this Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing, I included lots of hearty kale as well as cooked and cooled farro.
The salad also features several other flavor packed Mediterranean ingredients including:
- Sundried tomatoes: They have to be the oil packed ones from a jar for me – they have so much flavor!
- Castelvetrano olives: I love these for their crisp, meaty texture and mild, buttery finish, but you can also substitute kalamata olives or regular green olives
- Chopped walnuts: It’s no secrete that I love walnuts for their amazing health benefits. I eat them everyday. Learn more about the health benefits of walnuts.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Because I love cheese!
- Thinly sliced red onion: Pro tip – soak your sliced onions in cold water for about 5 – 10 minutes to remove some of the bite.
- Massaged kale: The key to making a good kale salad is to be sure to thinly slice the kale into bite sized pieces and then gently massage it with a little oil or lemon juice before making your salad. This salad would also be delicious with chopped romaine if you aren’t a fan of kale.
What is Farro and Why Is It So Good for You?
Farro is an ancient grain, common in the Mediterranean diet. It has a delicious nutty flavory and chewy texture. Farro is an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and some B vitamins. It is also high in a wide range of antioxidant compounds, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, phytosterols, and selenium.
I like to make a big batch of farro at once, and then freeze it in a ziplock bag once cooked and cooled so I can easily add a little to my salads at lunchtime.
In this Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing, the farro helps make the salad more filling, but also adds a chewy, hearty texture.
How Do You Make Dairy Free Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing?
My favorite part of this Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad is the vegan tahini caesar dressing. This Creamy Tahini Dressing gives off caesar salad vibes with lots of garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire. It is creamy and satisfying (without any dairy), a little bit nutty, and packed with flavor. If you want to make this entire salad vegan and dairy free, just skip the parmesan or sub you favorite vegan parm.
I like to make extra of this dressing an keep it all week for dipping fresh vegetables, drizzling over cooked chicken or salmon, or even serving with any roasted veggies.
Looking for More Kale Salad Recipes Like This Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad?
I know kale may be so 10 years ago, but for me a good kale salad will never go out of style. If you agree, here are some of my favorite healthy kale salads that I can’t get enough of:
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- Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
- Mango Kale Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Beet and Kale Salad with Ginger Turmeric Dressing
- Walnut, Apple, and Kale Power Salad
If you make this recipe (or any of my other healthy salad recipes), be sure to comment and rate the recipe below!
Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
This Mediterranean Kale Caesar Salad gives off vegan caesar salad vibes with a Mediterranean twist. Loaded with massaged kale, buttery olives, flavorful sundried tomatoes, chewy farro, and nutty chopped walnuts, all topped with a Creamy Tahini Dressing this salad is healthy and full of protein and fiber to leave you satisfied. With an easy dairy free option, it is perfect for a filling lunch or as a side to salmon or chicken.Servings: 4Ingredients
- 3 - 4 cups kale (stems removed and thinly sliced)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (or lemon juice)
- 1 1/2 cup farro (cooked according to package directions and cooled)
- 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives (can substitute kalamata or green olives)
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil (drained and sliced)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (finely shredded or grated)
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (grated or pressed)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- cracked pepper to taste
- dash of worchestershire sauce
- 2 - 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add thinly sliced kale. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil or lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt. Using tips of fingers, gently massage and rub kale until it softens and becomes a bright green.
- Top kale with farro, castelvatrano olives, sundried tomatoes, red onion, parmesan cheese, and walnuts.
- To make the dressing, combine tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, salt, fresh cracked black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, add in garlic squeezed through a garlic press or grated on a rasp. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in 2 - 3 tablespoons of cold water until dressing reaches desired consistency.
- Pour dressing over salad, and toss to coat evenly.
Notes
The kale holds up well in this recipe, so it is great for meal prep or cooking ahead. You can make everything ahead of time and toss the salad with the dressing 1 - 2 days before serving without worrying about everything getting too soggy. To make diary free and vegan, leave out the parmesan cheese or substitute your favorite vegan/dairy free parmesan.
