Vegan Caesar Salad

This vegan Caesar Salad dressing comes together quickly, thanks to the magic of blended raw cashews.

Back when I was a vegetarian (long before going vegan), I used to douse my salads with store-bough Caesar dressing. Although I was already becoming adept at reading labels, I never read the ingredients list on the back of the bottle, because I never expected there to be any type of meat in a salad dressing. Somehow I discovered that Caesar salad was usually made with anchovies, which horrified me, so I checked the ingredients – and there they were. I gave up Caesar dressing that day, and once I went vegan I gave up my beloved creamy salad dressings altogether. I thought I’d have to live without them up forever, but then I discovered how magical blended cashews are. I’m back to dousing my salads in Caesar dressing, but now I make it myself.

I’ve used olives in this salad recipe to mimic the saltiness of anchovies (and because I love olives), but you can omit them if you prefer. Vegan Caesar Salad is a a perfect dish to start a meal, and it’s also an excellent meal on it’s own. If you’re eating this salad as a meal rather than a side dish, feel free to add some oomph, such as shredded carrots, sliced purple cabbage, or diced bell peppers. You may have some dressing leftover, depending on the size of your head of lettuce.

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Vegan Caesar Salad

Vegan Caesar Salad is a deliciously simple side dish for your summertime meals. It's filling enough for lunch on its own, too. With a creamy, homemade dairy free cashew dressing, this salad is super easy to make, and it can be customized to your liking.

This salad serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan caesar salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Yields 4 servings

Calories 233 kcal

Author Dianne

Ingredients

For the Croutons

• 3 slices whole grain bread I like to use Eziekiel sprouted grain bread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Dressing

• 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 2 hours, rinse and drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 2 teaspoons capers drained
• 1 teaspoon seaweed flakes such as kelp or nori
• 1 teaspoon mellow white miso
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Parmesan

• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Salad

• 1 large head (or two small heads) of romaine lettuce (about 6 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Break or cut the bread into cubes and place them in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread and sprinkle with the spices and salt. Use your hands to toss everything together.

4. Place the bread pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 20 minutes, flipping the pieces at the halfway mark. Be sure to check them often often to make sure they don’t burn.

5. While the croutons are baking, mix together all of the salad dressing ingredients together in a high speed blender.

6. Place the parmesan ingredients in a small jar or bowl with a lid and shake until it's well mixed.

7. Tear or chop the lettuce and place the pieces a large bowl. Toss the lettuce leaves with the dressing using salad tongs. Add the croutons and sprinkle with the parmesan.

If you enjoyed this vegan Caesar Salad recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad
• Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette
• Stir-Fry Inspired Salad
• Greek Inspired Salad with Tofu Feta

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