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Caesar Salad with Roasted Broccoli Rabe and Kale

Caesar Salad

Creamy, flavorful Caesar dressing coats chopped kale to form the base of this healthy salad. But what really takes it over the top is crisp roasted broccoli rabe and juicy roasted tomatoes. A little heat from raw red onion and a touch of saltiness from Parmesan cheese rounds the whole thing out – for a dinner worthy salad that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Recipe by Erin McDowell

Erin is an expert in food media: cooking, writing, and styling all things delicious. She is the recipe editor for PureWow, a test kitchen manager for Food52, and author cookbook The Fearless Baker. 

Serves: 4
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 head garlic, cut horizontally at the top to expose all cloves
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, roughly torn
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • parmesan curls, as needed for garnish

Directions

Caesar Salad Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Arrange the broccoli rabe and tomatoes on the baking sheet. Tear a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the head of garlic up. Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil on top of the garlic, then wrap it up and transfer to the baking sheet. 

Caesar Salad Process

3. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the broccoli rabe and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the broccoli rabe leaves are crisp and the tomatoes are blistered, 15-20 minutes (the garlic will be lightly golden and very sweet smelling). Let cool to room temperature.

4. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a medium bowl. Add the anchovies, and mash the mixture with a fork into a paste. Stir in the egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard to combine.

5. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, mixing to make a thick, creamy dressing. Season the finished dressing with salt and pepper. 

6. In a large bowl, toss the kale and red onions together. Add the dressing and toss well to coat (you may have leftover dressing, so start with a few Tbsp at first). Add the broccoli rabe and tomatoes and toss gently to combine.

Caesar Salad

7. To serve, divide into four even portions on plates. Garnish with a few turns of fresh black pepper and parmesan curls.

Get the scoop on Broccoli Rabe: recipes, health benefits, & nutrition information. Learn more

Broccoli Rabe Caesar Salad