Classic Vegan Caesar Salad

This vegan Caesar salad is made with crisp romaine lettuce, garlicky baked croutons and to-die-for rich and creamy cashew-based dressing. Rich, indulgent, and full of flavor. You won’t miss the dairy in this one!

I hope you guys like cashews! Actually, it probably doesn’t matter. This vegan Caesar salad doesn’t taste like cashews, but they’re in there. Actually, come to think of it, they’re in all this week’s recipes. Cashew cheese, cashew sour cream, and now cashew Caesar dressing.

I mention it just because I tend to feel a little weird when I hit an ingredient repeatedly like this, but then again, I didn’t even realize I was doing it with cashews until I sat down to write up the recipe, which, I believe, just supports my hypothesis that none of this stuff tastes like cashews.

I’ve visited cashews-a-many on this blog, and I’ve actually done a few spins on Caesar salad-themed stuff too, but they were just that, spins. Caesar sandwich. Caesar salad with tempeh.

How about a classic vegan Caesar salad? I’ve had requests, so I figured it was about time. I’m always tempted to put crazy spins on things, but sometimes the classics are just that because they’re great, and I think that may be the case with Caesar salads…you know, except for the whole dairy and anchovy part. Maybe slightly modified classics are the best.

I thought about just sharing a recipe for vegan Caesar dressing, but opted to include the whole shebang, mainly because the croutons are so key. Make a double batch of croutons because you will snack on most of them.

This salad comes together super easy. Soak the cashews in water to soften them up, then blend them up with garlic, water, and a handful of other seasonings. Miso is the key to getting that salty, savory, classic Caesar salad flavor without anchovies.

You’ll make the croutons by tossing some bread cubes in a mix of garlic and olive oil, and then baking.

Toss your homemade croutons and dressing with some crispy romaine lettuce, and your vegan Caesar salad is ready. Dig in!

Tips for Making an Awesome Vegan Caesar Salad

• Don’t forget to soak your cashews! But if you forget, don’t worry! Boiling them for 15 minutes works in a pinch.
• The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
• You can easily turn this salad into a meal by adding some protein: try chickpeas, baked tofu, or (my favorite) the blackened tempeh from this recipe.

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5 from 2 votes

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Classic Vegan Caesar Salad

This vegan Caesar salad is made with crisp romaine lettuce, garlicky baked croutons and to-die-for rich and creamy cashew-based dressing. Rich, indulgent, and full of flavor. You won't miss the dairy in this one!

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword cashews, italian, salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Soak time 4 hours

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 429 kcal

Author Alissa

Ingredients

For the Croutons

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• about half of a baguette, torn into bite-sized pieces (4 cups)
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours and drained
• 3 garlic cloves, or even more if you like
• 2 tbsp. white miso paste
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 3/4 to 1 cup water
• salt to taste

For the Vegan Caesar Salad

• 2 medium heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
• finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
• vegan Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

Make the Croutons

1. Preheat oven to 400°. 

2. Stir the olive oil and garlic together in a small bowl. 

3. Place the bread pieces into a large bowl and add olive oil mixture. Toss to coat.
   

4. Arrange the bread pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Bake until the bread pieces begin to brown and crisp-up, 12-14 minutes. 

6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
   

Make the Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

1. While croutons bake, place all dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender, staring with 3/4 cup of water. 

2. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl or pitcher as needed. Thin with additional water as needed, and season with salt to taste.

Make the Vegan Caesar Salad

1. Place lettuce and croutons into a large bowl. Add dressing, a bit at a time, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley and vegan Parmesan cheese, if using.

2. Divide onto plates and serve.

Recipe Notes

Use as much dressing as you like. Save the leftovers for future salads, use as a dip, or stick it in an airtight container and freeze.

Nutrition Facts

Classic Vegan Caesar Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 429 Calories from Fat 178

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 19.8g 30%

Saturated Fat 3.5g 18%

Sodium 1074mg 45%

Potassium 753mg 22%

Total Carbohydrates 53.3g 18%

Dietary Fiber 2.6g 10%

Sugars 6.3g

Protein 14.4g 29%

Calcium 4%

Iron 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.