Why You’ll Love It
It tastes amazing. This vegan Caesar salad dressing has all the flavor you love, and it’s made with simple ingredients, like cashews and lemon juice. It’s easy to prepare. Just toss the dressing ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth. The dressing is ready to use in minutes, and then you can toss it with chopped romaine lettuce, croutons, or any other salad toppings you love. It’s comforting. There’s something about a Caesar salad that just hits the spot. It’s creamy, savory, and you can add your favorite protein on top to make it a main dish. This dressing will make you crave more salads! It’s great for special diets. If you need a dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan recipe, this one is an easy option! For a nut-free alternative, try using hemp hearts to replace the cashews. The leftover dressing makes a great dip. Serve it with sliced cucumbers or carrots for a healthy snack. The dressing will thicken up when it chills.
Ingredients You’ll Need
White miso is the “secret ingredient” that makes this dressing taste like traditional Caesar dressing. If you’re not familiar with the flavor, it tastes like concentrated Parmesan cheese. Don’t use other varieties of miso in this recipe, as they will not provide the same flavor. Looking for a soy-free alternative? You can add a tablespoon of capers for a briny flavor, instead, or add a little nutritional yeast for a “cheesy” flavor.
How to Make The Best Vegan Caesar Salad
- Prepare the salad toppings. If you’d like to top this Caesar salad recipe with homemade croutons or roasted chickpeas, now is the time to get those ready. They will need to bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Make the vegan Caesar dressing. Add the cashews, water, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, miso, salt, and black pepper to a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine, if needed, to help the cashews totally break down. The dressing will have a runny texture at first, but it will thicken up as it rests, so pour it into an airtight container with a lid, and place it in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Assemble the salad. Add chopped romaine to a large bowl, and drizzle the dressing over the greens. Sprinkle on the croutons or chickpeas (or both!) and add any extra salad toppings you love, like vegan parmesan cheese, or sliced avocado. Toss well, then serve the salad right away. It tastes remarkably like the real thing! Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will thicken when chilled, so you may want to add an extra tablespoon of water to the dressing to help thin it out again later. Looking for more vegan dressing recipes? Try Green Goddess Dressing, Vegan Ranch Dressing, or Raspberry Vinaigrette for more ideas. If you try this Vegan Caesar salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
