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    Home » Side Dishes » Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad

    Feb 18, 2015 · Modified: Oct 16, 2020 by Sues · This post may contain affiliate links, uses cookies, and generates income via ads · View privacy policy + disclosure statement linked in footer · 17 Comments

    Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Caesar salads are nice, but they're even better when made with kale and avocado. This Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with parmesan croutons is the most delicious side or entree salad!

    Overhead view of a pomegranate avocado kale caesar salad in a white bowl with parmesan croutons and fork with bowl of croutons in the background and recipe title at top

    I was walking down the street in Boston last week and overheard a guy say, “I’m pretty sure liking kale means you’re basic* now.” I stopped in my tracks and laughed a bit (really, I wanted to chase the guy down and ask him SO many questions), but then I started thinking. Was it true? Is kale for “basics” now? If that’s the case, then so be it… I guess I must be the definition of basic. I’ve mentioned this a billion times before, but I love kale more than almost anything and I hope it never stops being a trend. Ever.

    Recently, my favorite lunch place closed and I can no longer get my absolutely favorite to-die-for kale caesar salad for lunch. This is probably a good thing since it’s giving me motivation to bring lunch to work, but some nights I still lay awake and think about that salad. So, I did what any logical person would do. I made my own... But I made it even better!

    I finally went to Wegman’s for the first time last week (I mean, can we talk about this place?! Without crying because we’re so happy it exists??) and I told Chris I was feeling overwhelmed and emotional by the whole shopping experience. He responded, “I know you’re emotional… You just bought three different kinds of kale.” I looked in the cart and realized he was right. I did have three different kinds of kale in there. So, if liking kale is basic, I’m the most basic of all. Ugh.

    POMEGRANATE AVOCADO KALE CAESAR SALAD RECIPE

    Anyway, let’s talk about the salad! The basis for any good Caesar salad is really the dressing. From my experience, you will NEVER find a bottled Caesar salad dressing that is even close to a homemade one. And it’s ridiculously easy to make, so please just whip up a batch at home for maximum happiness.

    I love anchovies in my Caesar dressing. If they scare you, you don’t have to use them. Or you could use anchovy paste instead. To make the dressing,  put into a blender 4 anchovies, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 egg yolk, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 ½ Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 1 ½ Tbsp water. Blend everything together for about 30 to 40 seconds until the mixture is nice and smooth.

    Overhead view of ingredients for caesar dressing in blender, including anchovies, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic

    Next, slowly pour extra virgin olive oil in with the blender still going. I start with ¼ cup, but keep pouring until I have the consistency I like (feel free to stop and taste!). I wouldn’t use more than ½ cup, though.

    Pour the dressing into a bowl and stir in ¼ cup grated parmesan and some black pepper.

    So, the Caesar salad dressing is really important. But so are the croutons (clearly I’m all about the health in this salad…). Again, homemade is ALWAYS going to be better. Especially if those homemade croutons involve parmesan cheese.

    To make the croutons, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut ½ loaf of french bread into 1-inch cubes and put them in a large bowl. Then toss with ¼ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

    Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with foil. And bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until the croutons are beginning to turn golden.

    Collage showing process for making parmesan croutons, including cubed bread soaked in olive oil, bread on a foil-lined baking sheet mixed with parmesan cheese, and croutons with parmesan out of the oven and crispy on baking sheet

    Now for the salad assembly. Fill a big bowl with about 6 cups of kale! Obviously you can use any green you want here… But my whole thing is that if you’re going to be indulging on this awesome dressing and croutons, you may as well get some health and vitamins in when you can. Right??

    I added in 1 cup pomegranate seeds and 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced. And, of course, the croutons! Then I drizzled (OK, poured) dressing over the top and tossed everything together.

    Overhead view of pomegranate avocado kale salad with parmesan croutons in a big serving bowl

    Hi, kale caesar salad… Welcome back into my life.

    The beautiful thing is that I actually like this salad better than the one at my old lunch spot. I mean, the lunch one did not have pomegranate and avocado involved. Nor were the croutons coated in parmesan cheese. So, take that, old lunch spot. Who needs you anyway?

    An avocado caesar salad made with kale and pomegranates… Those ingredients make a world of difference!

    Overhead closeup view of pomegranate avocado kale salad with parmesan croutons in a white bowl

    I love my dressing since it’s nice and creamy, but not overly heavy. I love the way it coats the kale leaves, making them nice and tender. It’s perfectly garlicky, too.

    If you’re still not a kale person, maybe try this salad and see if you change your mind? Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m a huge proponent of upgrading your greens for maximum health benefits. Iceberg and romaine just don’t do it for me anymore. Salads should at least kind of sort of be healthy and offer a few nutritional benefits. Even if they are covered in Caesar dressing and parmesan croutons.

    Bird's eye view of bowl of pomegranate avocado kale caesar salad with parmesan croutons with serving bowl of salad, bowl of croutons, and pomegranate in the background

    I was tempted to call this one the “Super Food Kale Caesar,’ but I didn’t want to be totally cheesy and trendy. But I mean… pomegranate, avocado, and kale? This is clearly a superfood salad. Take that for what you will.

    And revel in the fact that a dish that's so freaking delicious can also have so many healthy elements to it.

    Overhead view of a pomegranate avocado kale caesar salad in a white bowl with parmesan croutons and fork with bowl of croutons in the background

    In case you're wondering, yes, I really did buy three kinds of kale in one grocery store. But to be fair, I have never seen Tuscan (dinosaur) kale before and needed it. Also, I had never seen “Kalettes” before… those are a combination of KALE and BRUSSELS SPROUTS. So, obviously I needed to buy them, too. And obviously we’ll be discussing those together really soon.

    But only if you want to be “basic” with me.

    What are your requirements for a good salad?

    *If you don’t know what “basic” means, this HuffPost article does a pretty good job of explaining. Also, feel free to Google for more information… you can even take “are you basic? quizzes. Good luck.

    If you love caesar salads as much as I do, try some of my other versions like this Chipotle Kale Caesar Salad. Or perhaps you'd like a Caesar Salad Pizza. I also love these Chicken Caesar Crostini from Salt and Lavender!

    Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad -- Caesar salads are nice, but they're even better when made with kale and avocado. This Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with parmesan croutons is the most delicious side or entree salad! | wearenotmartha.com

    Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad

    Caesar salads are nice, but they're even better when made with kale and avocado. This Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with parmesan croutons is the most delicious side or entree salad!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Caesar Salad, Kale Salad, Superfood Salad
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Makes: 8 servings (as a side dish)
    Author: Sues

    Ingredients

    Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad

    • 4 anchovy fillets, optional
    • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
    • 1 ½ Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 ½ Tbsp water
    • ¼-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 6 cup kale cleaned, ribs removed, and roughly chopped
    • 1 cup fresh pomegranate arils
    • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
    • 1 batch parmesan croutons (recipe below)

    Parmesan Croutons

    • ½ loaf french bread
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    Pomegranate Avocado Kale Caesar Salad

    • Put anchovies (if using), garlic, egg yolk, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and water in a blender and process for about 30-40 seconds, until the mixture is smooth.
    • With the blender running, pour the extra virgin olive oil in slowly, until you reach the desired consistency.
    • Remove dressing to bowl. Stir in the parmesan cheese and ground pepper.
    • Put chopped kale, pomegranate arils, and avocado, and croutons in a large bowl,
    • Slowly pour dressing into bowl (you may not need it all) and toss ingredients together.

    Parmesan Croutons

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Cut french bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle pepper on top.
    • Cover a baking sheet in foil and place bread cubes in a single layer on the sheet.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until beginning to turn golden.
    Share a Photo of Your Finished Recipe!Mention @wearenotmartha and share a photo if you've made the recipe!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

      February 19, 2015 at 8:53 am

      Ha, I must be basic too:-) And yes to everything about wegmans.

      Can't wait to see what you do with the kale sprouts! I've been eyeing them suspiciously at Trader Joe's for a while now.

    2. Pam says

      February 19, 2015 at 11:23 am

      I love everything about this salad!

    3. chantelle @ naked cuisine says

      February 19, 2015 at 12:35 pm

      Gosh I'm kinda obsessed with anchovies this much be so perfect, salty umami little fishes with burst of pomegranate sweetness! YUM!

    4. sarah k @ the pajama chef says

      February 19, 2015 at 2:27 pm

      whoa, i love this salad! yum yum and yum.

    5. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

      February 19, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      I have NO idea what basic means. So when I finish this comment I am going to link over and find out. It was SO funny about the 3 kinds of kale in your basket being a barometer for your husband to know your emotional state. Still chuckling. I had to pin this awesome salad-----of course!

    6. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

      February 19, 2015 at 8:42 pm

      Finished the Huffington Post article. Geez basically (pun intended) it sounds confusing because it can go both ways. On the other hand I think I would rather not be basic. Much rather be extraordinary. Thank you for bringing me up to speed.

    7. Culinary Flavors says

      February 20, 2015 at 4:04 am

      I love pomegranate in salad! Delicious one!

    8. Joanne says

      February 20, 2015 at 8:35 am

      I must be pretty basic too then, because kale is pretty much my favorite. You might have guessed. Homemade Caesar is SOOOOO good. Love that you added pomegranates into the mix.

    9. JayanthiSindhiya says

      February 20, 2015 at 8:53 am

      What a healthy and a colourful salad

    10. The Healthy Apple says

      February 20, 2015 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      Love this! Such a fun salad that I can't wait to make soon. Have a great weekend. xoxo Hope you are well!!

    11. Beth says

      February 20, 2015 at 4:19 pm

      I was also too out of touch to know the new meaning of the word "basic".... I'll take that to mean that I'm not blindly following trends! Trend followers could do a lot worse than to blindly take a liking to Kale!

    12. Tandy | Lavender and Lime says

      February 21, 2015 at 1:34 am

      I love using pomegranate arils in my salad. I call mine the kitchen sink as everything in the vegetable drawer features 🙂

    13. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

      February 21, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      You have so many layers of flavor in your salad…delicious!

    14. Leah | So, How's It Taste? says

      February 21, 2015 at 7:12 pm

      I love a good caesar salad! I like your twist on it with pomegranate. So jealous you have a Wegman's. I've been a few times when visiting friends and it's the bomb!

    15. Betty says

      February 21, 2015 at 9:52 pm

      Love this salad! I also love Wegmans. It's almost an hour away, (nearly everything is) but so worth the drive. 🙂

    16. Danielle says

      April 01, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      This salad looks and sounds amazing! I'm totally with you...croutons are SO important in any good salad!

    Trackbacks

    1. Spinach and Quinoa Caesar Salad - We are not Martha says:
      July 2, 2015 at 11:05 pm

      […] made this dressing a thousand times and I’ll probably make it a thousand more. If you’re not a fan of the […]

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