Kale and squash Caesar salad
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4
Roast squash, softened kale and spiced croûtons are tossed with a creamy yoghurt dressing for a light dinner or substantial lunch option. The roasting can be done either in the air fryer or oven.
Each serving provides 451 kcal, 11.3g protein, 28.2g carbohydrate (of which 16.7g sugars), 31.5g fat (of which 7.1g saturates), 1.6g fibre and 0.24g salt.
By Verity Genco
Ingredients
For the squash
- 1 small butternut squash (about 500g/1lb 2oz prepared weight), peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the kale
For the croûtons
For the Caesar dressing
- 90g/3¼oz Greek-style yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 20g/¾oz Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), finely grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or crushed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the squash, preheat an air fryer to 190C. Toss the squash with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15–18 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and tender. (For oven cooking, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and roast on a large baking tray for 25–30 minutes. Keep the air fryer or oven on.)
Meanwhile, make the kale. Put the kale in a large bowl, add the orange juice, zest, oil and a pinch of salt. Massage with your hands for 1–2 minutes until the kale is softened and glossy. Leave to marinate.
To make the croûtons, mix the oil, Parmesan and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Air fry in the already hot air fryer for 4–8 minutes, shaking once, until crisp and golden. For oven cooking, cook in the already hot oven for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway. Turn the air fryer and oven off now.
To make the dressing, whisk together the yoghurt, oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, mustard and garlic in a jug. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, toss the kale with half of the dressing and spread over a serving platter. Scatter over the roast squash, Parmesan shavings and croûtons. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to serve.
Recipe tips
This can be prepared in advance by cooking the squash and croûtons up to a day ahead. Assemble with the other elements just before serving.
Whole leaf kale works best – tear the leaves slightly, then massage well with the citrus and salt to soften.
For a softer texture, blanch the kale for about 15–20 seconds in salted boiling water, then plunge into iced water and pat dry before massaging with citrus.
Cavolo nero or spring greens can be used instead of kale.
Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 2 days and it is also good as a dip for crudités.
The squash might need to be roasted in two batches if using a smaller air fryer basket.
