Kale Caesar Salad Pizza on Parmesan Crust.
I have this thing about pizza and salad.
This thing, as in, I’m completely crazy about it.
And I always have been.
Even when I really couldn’t stand vegetables, back in the early days when I was trying to eat them regularly, I loooooved salad with pizza.
And I bet we all know why!
THE DRESSING.
If you ever look at my salad recipes, you’ll notice they certainly are not lacking in the homemade dressing department. I’ve never really cared for any sort of bottled dressing, which I believe also contributed to my lackluster salad love in the early days. Because not only did I not want the veggies, I couldn’t even find something that I loved to go on top! Whomp whomp.
Sometimes I’d make do with a bottled balsamic or oil and vinegar blend (Newman’s Own and DeLallo’s sweet Italian are both ones I enjoy) but it wasn’t until I started making my own vinaigrettes that I started to seriously enjoy salads. What can I say… I’m a vinegar freak.
However. The dressing always mattered when it came to pizza + salad for dipping purposes. Right? RIGHT.
Here’s the other thing. You might think I’m totally crazy but I would never, never ever ever dip my pizza crust in ranch dressing. I would never put real ranch dressing ON my pizza either. No drizzle.
Do you?? I bet you totally do.
I know it’s a favorite, I even get it. I’m sure it tastes good. But ranch dressing is just something that I don’t love (I sort of like homemade avocado ranch, but that’s about it) and the thought of dragging my crust through a ranch river is just… no.
Instead, I want to drag it through an Italian blend river or some sort of delicious briney, vinegar based dressing. I want to soak the crust in that and pile salad on top.
So I did it!
As usual thought, as typically basic as you can imagine, I have an exception.
Caesar dressing is the one creamy dressing I can get behind. Especially this greek yogurt version that’s a major staple in our house. I’m talking WEEKLY. We use this dressing constantly, if not every week, certainly a few times per month.
Eddie requests a kale Caesar all the time, and a kale Caesar isn’t completely without some croutons. So I put said kale Caesar on top of one giant crouton!
It’s not as plain and boring as it looks, I swear. Eddie walked in the door and was like… soooo it’s just salad on crust?
Well, no. But yes. Kind of.
Parmesan pizza crust that is crunchy on the outsides but a little chewy and fluffy on the inside. Drizzled with garlic butter, sprinkle with parm and piled high with kale salad. Lots of cheese shavings and a few extra breadcrumbs, just in case you like to eat bread with your bread. Raise your hand if you do!
Kale Caesar Salad Pizza
Ingredients
crust
- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- extra parmesan for sprinkling
kale salad
- 1 head of kale, stems removed (about 4 to 6 cups)
- 1 stalk of romaine lettuce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
crust
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, the parmesan and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas – this specific dough will yield one pizza large enough to feed about 3-4 people) and place on a baking sheet or pizza peel. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. (If I use my pizza stone, I heat my oven to 475 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. If you’re just using a baking sheet, follow the directions below for baking and set to 425 degrees.) Brush the dough with extra olive oil and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven. In a bowl stir the melted butter with the garlic cloves and brush it on the crust. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
kale salad
- Add the kale in a large bowl. Chop the stalk of romaine and set it off to the side.
- To make the dressing, add the garlic, yogurt, parmesan, mustard, vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until pureed. With the processor still on, stream in the olive oil until a creamy dressing forms. [This will make more dressing than needed, but you can store it sealed in the fridge for about 3-4 days and stir well before using.]
- Add about 1/4 cup of the dressing on the kale and toss well to distribute. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Toss in the romaine. Add a touch more dressing if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Deffffinitely health food.
43 Comments on “Kale Caesar Salad Pizza on Parmesan Crust.”
I’m totally with you on the anti ranch pro vinegar train. There’s something so delicious about fresh crusty bread and vinegar! This salad pizza hybrid sounds delicious, can’t wait to try it :)
I have been weirdly craving a ceasar salad lately, but anything transformed into a pizza is even better! This trumps any old caesar salad for sure!
I love a good salad pizza, but I’m not a fan of ranch either. This one sounds really delicious! If I’m going to have bread, I might as well have some more bread on top of that bread :)
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Home-Jobs90.TK
Yum.
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Maybe it is me but I just cannot get into pizza that is anything but traditional…sauce, toppings, cheese. Somehow, warm pizza crust topped with salad…no matter how delicious…just is not a pizza for me. It is salad on top of bread.
I was watching an episode of Dinner at Tiffini’s a few months ago and she was making “pizza” for her guests. Alll three were grilled pizza dough crusts topped with different salads….no sauce and no gooey, melted cheese. I would have beed so dissappointed if I had been one of her guests!
I totally agree, Nancy! I saw that episode and thought the same thing. There needs to be a different name–something other than pizza–for these salads on top of bread. ;-)
Love this! I also love salads on my pizza. My fav is prosciutto and arugula on top of a white pizza. So yummy! With Caesar being my fav salad of all time, I will definitely be trying this.
This is right up my alley! Definitely adding this to the must- try soon list!
It is a must try dish for all those who love pizza with healthy crunchy greens. Freshly baked, crunchy pizza topped with super healthy kale is great.
Your caesar dressing is my fave – I probably make it about every other week and we never get tired of it! The grilled romaine buffalo caesar from last year is one I’m dying to bring back into the rotation and it seems like the weather might finally be on board!
I’m totally on the anchovy paste train though – keeps longer in the fridge and less hassle than the whole anchovies, but I still want the flavor! I usually just eyeball it, but glad to see this version with a measurement because when I share the other one with people and say I use paste instead of whole they always want to know how much and I’m like eh maybe like 1/2 inch to inch long squirt and then to taste? LOL
Man – oh – man, does this ever scream summer BBQ …. yess!! Love it!
I’ve never had a salad pizza before but this sure sounds good. I shouldn’t check bloglovin’ with an empty stomach :(
This looks good! It’s not pizza ;) but it looks good. I will probably call it a flatbread when I try it, which I definitely will!
Who said pizza can’t be healthy!
Umm ok this is genius. Also, I am SO not a ranch person. I cannot imagine ruining a pizza crust by dousing it in ranch!! Yuck!
this looks amazing! i love caesar anything. i do NOT love ranch at all. in fact, i sort of despise it. blue cheese 4E.
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ranch is the worst! i’m also not completely opposed to just eating the parmesan crust on its own…just saying.
Love this pizza. I love vegetable pizza. It’s good for health :)
I’m with you on the whole Ranch river thing, total waste of caloric intake and if I’m doing creamy I also opt for Caesar with big croutons. But almost always opt for vinegary dressings. Our favorites at the house on constant almost weekly rotation are either your House Salad or Greek salad vinaigrette. I can actually make your House Salad vinaigrette with my eyes close by now.
I’m with you. Pizza and salad belong together. I don’t like ranch on my pizza either but caesar?! YES!
I’ve totally never seen a salad pizza before but that sounds like my kind of way to eat a salad!!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Wow! This is right up my alley, major salad obsession. Can’t wait to try this with a Gluten Free crust.
there’s this thing in NYC – Eddie’s Thin Crust Pizza + Blue Cheese Dressing. it sounds ABSURD, but it’s actually magic.
anyhoooo – this just made my Monday! actually had a kale caesar last night on a restaurant review, so this is really feeding my craves today. love as always! x
Ohhh I love this. I’m actually one of those weirdos who enjoys kale on its own, but kale covered in caesar dressing ON a pizza sounds wayyyy better than just kale.
My pizza must ALWAYS be topped with a huge salad. It’s the only way to eat pizza . . . or salad! ;)
My pizza must ALWAYS be topped with a huge salad! It’s the only way to eat pizza . . . or salad! ;)
This reminds me of the salad pizza I loved from California Pizza Kitchen but I don’t think they have it any more. I also make that Caesar dressing every chance I get! I made a shrimp version last week and it was unreal. Thanks for sharing!
Your other kale pizza is my FAVORITE pizza – cannot wait to try this!
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http://www.Home-Jobs90.TK
Hey girl this would be so yummy! And yes sometimes I do dip my pizza in ranch dressing! It is so tasty!
This looks amazing!!!!! I’m so going to make this.
Btw, there’s a company specialised in vinegars and oils where I live and they make the best guava vinegar. If you can find one where you live, you have to try it. Also not sure if you use pomegranate syrup? The one made from just pomegranate. It’s beautiful and sooo tasty.
And I quite often drizzle my pizza with vinegar or even a splash of the brine of capers.
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Jessica I’ve been following you for a very long time… and this, though nearly THREE years after you wrote this post, might actually be my favourite thing I’ve heard you say:
just in case you like to eat bread with your bread.
:’D
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