Vegan Kale Cobb Salad
Created by Laura Wright from the First Mess
A note from Claudia
I always include one hearty salad in C&D's weekly meal plan. This Vegan Kale Cobb Salad has been a staple since 2021.
Definitely make the Vegan Almond Bacon Bits! It's the frosting on the salad ;-) While the nuts are baking you can put together the salad.
Laura's recipe provided the bones for this salad and I plumped it up with a jar of marinated artichokes (quartered), one bunch of asparagus (cut into bite size pieces & sauteed in a little olive oil until bright green but still crisp), one package of shredded cabbage, and a small container of microgreens sprinkled on top. Note - Corrina is not a fan of red onions, especially raw, and they are always automatically removed when in any recipe.
This salad fits comfortably into a 9x13 dish providing a couple days of green goodness.
Ingredients
Vegan Almond “Bacon” Bits
1 cup sliced almonds
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
1-2 drops liquid smoke (optional)
Red Wine Vinaigrette (makes extra)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated with a Microplane
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon maple syrup
½ cup avocado or other neutral-tasting oil
Salad
4 cups chopped kale, packed (about 110 grams total)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small avocado, pitted, peeled & sliced
2 oz vegan cheese of choice, crumbled
Instructions
Make the almond “bacon” bits.
Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the almonds on top of the parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together the smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, avocado oil, maple syrup, tamari, and liquid smoke (if using). Once combined, pour the mixture over the almonds and toss thoroughly to coat. Spread the coated almonds out in a single layer and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until deep golden brown, stirring the almonds at the halfway mark.
Let the almonds cool thoroughly. They will crisp up as they cool. Set aside.
Make the red wine vinaigrette.
In a sealable jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and avocado oil. Close the lid on top and give it a good shake. Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
Make the salad.
Transfer kale to a large bowl. Pour about half of the dressing on top of the kale and season generously with salt and pepper. Massage the dressing into the kale for at least a minute, or until the leaves feel a bit more tender.
Transfer the dressed kale to your serving platter. Top the kale with the almond “bacon” bits, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, chickpeas, avocado, and vegan cheese. Spoon a bit more dressing over the chopped vegetables, chickpeas, and avocado. Give the top of the salad one more sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.