Oh, I am drooling over this Kale Caesar Pasta Salad guys! If you’re a regular around here you know how much I love a good pasta salad for my weekly meal prep. Some of my fan favorites include the Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Dill Pesto, and who could forget the Vegan Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad! I make a big batch on Sunday and portion it out for lunches all week. A couple hours in the kitchen on the weekend means I spend a lot less time in the kitchen during the week. Which also means I get to spend a lot more time outside enjoying this sultry summer weather!
I’m always trying to beef up my salads with all kinds of toppings so I don’t end up feeling hungry an hour later. I love to add beans, nuts, cheese, hemp seeds–in my opinion the more toppings the better! And of course everything is better with a fried egg on top, amiright? So it’s only natural that pasta salads are my go-to lunch during the busy work week. They’re a hassle free way to get my greens and veggies in and fuel my body and brain enough to make it until quitting time.
Now I can already hear you health conscious foodies telling me that there is nothing healthy about a Caesar salad. All that cheese, that high calorie dressing. But hear me out!
This salad has kale in it guys. And that’s a super food, right? Even more super is that it’s massaged with olive oil and lemon juice until it’s soft, wilty, bright green and delicious. Then, instead of traditional caloric Caesar dressing, I like to use Bolthouse Farms Caesar Parmigiano Yogurt Dressing. It’s got that peppery, zingy Caesar flavor (and even little bits of shredded Parmesan) but they use yogurt as a base which makes for an astonishing 45 calories per 2 tablespoons!!! You could also use whole wheat noodles to up the fiber content. And even add some chickpeas, white beans or quinoa for added protein. I made my own croutons instead of opting for prepackaged ones, which means you won’t be getting extra preservatives you don’t need.
So if you’re thinking about taking the meal prep plunge this weekend, keep it simple with this easy, healthy Kale Caesar Pasta Salad!
Print
Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
-
Prep Time: 15 minutes - Total Time: 15 minutes
-
Yield: 6 servings -
Category: Main Dish -
Method: No Cook -
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Loaded with kale, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, tossed in a low calorie (but very flavorful) yogurt based dressing!
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups chopped kale leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 12 oz. pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
- 1 cup garlic and herb croutons (https://midwestfoodieblog.com/2018/07/31/homemade-garlic-and-herb-croutons/)
- 1/2 cup your favorite Caesar dressing
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Add kale to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice. Massage kale for a few minutes until it wilts and turns bright green. Add tomato, mozzarella, Parmesan, croutons and a large pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix Caesar dressing with a splash of water to thin it out a bit. Pour dressing over everything and toss salad. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and serve!
Notes
If you’re making this salad ahead of time, follow directions above, but wait to add the croutons until just before serving so they do not get soggy.
Keywords: easy, quick, simple, healthy, kale, Caesar, meal prep, recipe
