Gordon Ramsay’s kale salad swaps soft romaine for raw kale in a loaded Caesar. Sourdough croutons, crispy bacon, sliced mushrooms and shaved Parmesan go on top with an anchovy and garlic dressing. Serves 4 in about 25 minutes.
He has two kale Caesars across his books that couldn’t be more different. Quick and Delicious goes all-out with mayo and bacon, while Fit Food strips it back to yoghurt, griddled chicken and no croutons. Both work, but Q&D is the one most people want.
Massaging the kale is what changes everything. Rubbing it with oil and salt for a couple of minutes breaks down the cell walls so the tough leaves turn soft without losing their crunch. Ramsay says you can dress it two days ahead and it only gets better.
Gordon Ramsay Kale Salad
Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes10
minutes380
kcal25
minutesEasy
A kale Caesar from Gordon’s Quick and Delicious with garlic sourdough croutons, crispy bacon and an anchovy dressing. His Fit Food version swaps the mayo for yoghurt if you want a lighter option. Around £2 per serving.
Ingredients
- For the Croutons:
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
150g sourdough bread, torn into pieces
- For the Salad:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
200g smoked bacon lardons
100g mixed kale (green and purple if available), torn into bite-sized pieces
4 little gem lettuces, leaves separated
100g baby chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced
8 anchovies in olive oil
40g Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Dressing:
100g good-quality French mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
20g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
8 anchovies in olive oil (optional)
1 to 2 tbsp water
Directions
- Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/Gas 7). Mix the garlic, olive oil and parsley in a bowl with some salt and pepper. Toss the torn sourdough pieces in the garlic oil until well coated, then spread on a lined baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Cook the lardons: While the croutons bake, heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until crispy, then set aside.
- Make the dressing: Put the mayonnaise, garlic, grated Parmesan, mustard and lemon juice into a bowl. Chop the anchovies and stir them in, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen it to a pourable consistency.
- Build the salad: Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and put it in a large bowl with the separated little gem leaves, sliced mushrooms and red onion. Pour the dressing over and toss well so every leaf is coated.
- Finish and serve: Scatter over the croutons and crispy lardons. Halve the remaining anchovies lengthways and lay them on top, then use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan over the salad before serving.
FAQs
Why should I massage the kale first?
Raw kale is tough and bitter straight from the bag, which is why most people think they don’t like it. Massaging it with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for 2 to 3 minutes breaks down the fibrous cell walls, so the leaves turn soft and silky without losing their crunch. Ramsay describes it as “a crazy thing to do” in his Fit Food book, but says it genuinely tenderises the leaves enough to eat raw.
Can I dress this salad ahead of time?
Kale is one of the few salad leaves that actually holds up to dressing in advance, because it’s too sturdy to wilt the way lettuce does. Ramsay says in Ultimate Fit Food that you can dress his kale Caesar “up to two days in advance, which will tenderize the leaves further.” If you’re prepping for a dinner party or meal planning, that makes kale a much better base than romaine or gem.
What is the difference between Ramsay’s two kale salad recipes?
His Quick and Delicious version is the rich one: mayo-based dressing, garlic sourdough croutons, crispy smoked bacon lardons and sliced mushrooms. It’s a proper weekend lunch.
The Fit Food version goes lighter with a yoghurt-based dressing, griddled chicken breast, red chicory and no croutons at all. He suggests crunchy roasted chickpeas on top instead if you miss the crunch. Same idea, completely different energy.
Do I need anchovies in the dressing?
They’re what give a Caesar dressing its savoury depth, so skipping them changes the whole character. Ramsay lists them as optional in the Q&D recipe, but uses them without question in the Fit Food version, which tells you where he really stands. If you genuinely can’t eat them, add an extra pinch of salt and a splash of Worcestershire sauce to fill the umami gap.
What goes well alongside this kale salad?
The Q&D version with bacon and croutons is substantial enough for lunch on its own. For a dinner spread though, it works brilliantly next to pan-seared sea bass where the rich dressing contrasts with the clean fish, or alongside a roast pork loin as a more interesting alternative to a standard green salad.
Ramsay himself says “Tana and I have embraced these dark leafy greens” and that she “tries to sneak it into the kids at every opportunity,” so it clearly works as an everyday family side too. Browse healthy salads from his books for more options.
