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Prep
Difficulty
Easy
Time
Estimate
1 hour
Please note, this is a great meal to make ahead and I have some tips at the end for making that happen. If making the croutons from scratch, start with those. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Start chopping the vegetables and making the sauce. Whip up the caesar dressing, while the onions caramelize. Make the dressing. Chop the kale and toss with the dressing. Make the garlic walnuts Toss the sauce & garlic walnuts with the pasta as soon as the pasta is cooked through. If making ahead, keep the croutons, dressing, chopped kale separate. For the Pasta Bake, just keep off the topping of garlic walnuts and double the bake time. Toss the salad just as the Pasta goes in the oven. The kale will soften in the dressing. If making gluten-free, use brown rice pasta and make the Polenta Croutons instead.
Do you have bread that is a tad too old to enjoy anymore? Just slice it into chunks, toss with a bit of olive oil and toast until dry. They store great in your fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for longer. Top them on salads or soups.
Garlic crusted walnuts are tossed in and on top of the pasta making this flavorful and easy enough to make dairy-free and even vegan. Increase the amount of walnuts to replace the cheese, if desired. Use whatever dark bitter greens you have available. We used the leafy broccoli rabe which gave it a delightful mustard flavor, but another green will substitute nicely. You may be tempted to make a double batch of the garlic walnuts as they are too much fun to nibble on as the pasta finishes cooking.
Shredded kale tossed with a yogurt caesar dressing. Sprinkle in crusty bread croutons, homemade or store-bought or try making your own Polenta Croutons for a gluten-free option. To make this vegetarian use Annie’s vegan Worcestershire sauce.
