Winter Caesar Salad Recipe with Kale & Crispy Shrimp
Winter is the perfect season to enjoy this winter kale Caesar salad, which features leafy kale, radicchio, and crispy golden shrimp. It is a perfect side dish or light starter topped with creamy dressing and shredded parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 12 medium-large shrimp (uncooked)
- 1 bunch fresh green kale
- 8-10 oz salad mix
- 3-4 slices wheat bread
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter for cooking shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for bread croutons
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½-1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Fish sauce
- ⅓ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the greens. Remove the kale stems by pulling the leaves from the bottom to the top. If the pieces are too big, cut or tear the kale into bite-size pieces.
- (Optional) Soften the kale by either massaging it in olive oil or frying it in butter for 3-5 minutes (see comments above).
- Bake bread croutons: Tear/cut 3-4 slices of wheat or sourdough bread into the desired sized pieces/cubes, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until golden brown at 390 °F (200 °C).
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine.
- Cook shrimp: Rinse the shrimp and transfer them to a clean paper towel to dry. Pat salt, black pepper, and chili flakes onto each shrimp on both sides. Heat a medium/large frying pan, add butter or olive oil, and fry the shrimp for about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a clean plate or bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Assemble the salad: Take the serving bowl or plate and start with the greens at the bottom, then layer up with parmesan cheese, bread croutons, and the cooked shrimp. Finally, drizzle the salad dressing on top.
Notes
- Options for replacing shrimp: crispy fried chicken breasts, bacon, chickpeas, brussels sprouts, or oven-baked sweet potatoes.
- Kale can be replaced with a mix of available leafy greens.
- Serve the salad in individual portions or a large salad bowl.
- Consume the same day.
