Name: Vegan Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Squash and Beets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1 medium delicata squash (unpeeled), sliced in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out, and sliced into 1/2-inch semi circles; 2 medium beets, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 tbsp olive, avocado, or grapeseed oil; Pinch each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 ripe avocado, pitted; 1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts); 1 tbsp capers; 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (I like Wizard's brand); 2 medium cloves of garlic; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Zest of one organic lemon; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 whole lemon); 1/2 tsp fine sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1/3 cup water; 2 bunches kale (green kale or Lacinato/Tuscan kale--your choice); Sunflower seed parmesan (optional)

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This Vegan Avocado Kale Caesar Salad is a lovely seasonal version of a classic kale caesar salad, made with a tangy avocado and hemp seed dressing plus roasted delicata squash and beets tossed in.

An overhead shot displaying a bowl of kale caesar salad topped with avocado and hemp dressing and roasted delicata squash, beets, and sunflower seed Parmesan.

It’s Valentine’s Week on the blog, and this avocado kale caesar salad is the first of four recipes that I will be sharing. It makes the perfect compliment to my next recipe, which is lentil walnut bolognese. Keep following along over the next four days to stay up to date!

For the longest time, I had been making vegan kale caesar salads with cashew-based dressings. And while that’s all fine and good, I wanted to change things up by trying out an alternative made with another favourite creamy ingredient: avocado! Regular readers of the blog know well how much I love using avocado in my dips and sauces. See, for example, my smashed potatoes with avocado hemp aioli and my avocado green goddess pesto!

an image showing the dressing for this salad made with avocado, hemp, lemon, capers, and garlic.

An overhead shot of roasted delicata squash and beets surrounded by avocado hemp caesar dressing and kale. #avocadokalecaesar #kalecaesar #plantbased #veganrecipe

This vegan avocado kale caesar salad is perfect for those occasions when you want a salad with a creamy dressing, but you aren’t in the mood for a nut-based variety. It’s also great for those with nut allergies: there’s nary a cashew to be found in the whole recipe.

an overhead shot showing a bowl of this avocado kale salad topped with beets and squash.

I love the avocado and hemp combination used in this salad dressing. Together, they lend a lovely creaminess without feeling too heavy. Plus, kale is so hardy that it holds up well to the creamy dressing. For a wintery twist, I added roasted delicata squash and roasted beets, and then topped it off with my sunflower seed parmesan.

If you have only ever eaten lettuce-based caesar salads before, now is your chance to try one made with kale! I find it to be incredibly addictive. If you’re anything like me, you’ll fall in love with kale again and again every time you eat a kale caesar.

how to make this avocado kale caesar salad:

Start by roasting up one sliced delicata squash and a couple of peeled and chopped beets in a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

While the vegetables are roasting, wash and chop some kale, and blend together the salad dressing ingredients. You can also throw together sunflower seed parmesan during this time, if desired.

Next, massage the dressing into the kale and, once the squash and beets have cooled, toss half of them into the kale, too. Reserve the other half for garnishing the salad.

Finish with a few sprinkles of sunflower parmesan, if desired.

And, voila. Avocado kale caesar salad made.

an overhead shot of a bowl of the salad described in the previous photo.

Change it up

Variations on this theme abound! You can add different vegetables in place of the roasted squash and beets depending on the season. In the spring, fresh green peas and carrots would be lovely. In the peak of summer, red pepper, tomato, and olives would be to die for. And in the fall, shredded cabbage and cranberries would be positively divine!

You can also add a protein to the salad to make it more of a meal. Baked tofu, tempeh bacon, or cooked beans are all protein-packed additions.

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I hope you enjoy this one! It just might spark your love of kale. 🙂

If you make this recipe, leave a comment and rating below, and post a photo to Instagram with @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen.