If you've been missing Caesar salad since going vegan, this classic Vegan Caesar Salad recipe is a must-try! It includes crisp romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, shredded vegan parmesan cheese, and a creamy cashew Caesar dressing.
Traditional caesar salads are super simple and made with a base of romaine lettuce topped with croutons, parmesan cheese, black pepper and caesar dressing.
Classic caesar salad dressings have lemon juice, oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic & dijon mustard.
To make a vegan version, we are using a base of cashews which results in a extra creamy, luscious salad dressing.
As well as, swapping to vegan-friendly homemade croutons and Violife parmesan shreds.
Love this caesar salad salad? Try this kale crunch salad and this brussels sprout salad, too!
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Ingredients
This Vegan Caesar Salad featuring a cashew dressing and air fryer croutons is going to become your go-to lunch or dinner choice!
It's made with simple ingredients and is great for meal prep! Prepare the dressing and toppings ahead of time and store them separately.
When you're ready to enjoy, simply chop up the romaine and assemble the salad!
Romaine Lettuce: I used two heads of romaine lettuce chopped into bite sized pieces.
Homemade Croutons: You absolutely need homemade croutons! They're incredibly simple to whip up and taste far superior to the store-bought variety. If you have an air fryer, make my air fryer croutons!
Shaved Vegan Parmesan: My preference is Violife, thinly shaved with a peeler. However, Follow your Heart has a delicious shredded parm that would work well.
Added Protein: I used crispy chickpeas but tempeh bacon, crispy tofu, or store-bought vegan chicken are great additions!
Cashew Caesar Dressing: Made up of soaked cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Creamy, flavorful, and tangy perfection!
The lemon juice adds brightness, capers add a brine-y and salty flavor, Dijon mustard adds tang, and nutritional yeast adds depth of flavor.
You can use a raw minced garlic clove but sometimes I find the flavor to be too overpowering so I added roasted garlic.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
When making salads, a salad spinner is a handy kitchen tool that I use daily.
You can effortlessly wash and drain the lettuce, then spin it to ensure thorough drying.
This step is crucial for ensuring that the dressing sticks properly to the lettuce. After all, nobody wants a soggy salad!
You will also need a high-speed blender. I use my Nutribullet. This is used to make the cashews blend into a smooth, creamy sauce.
How to Make This Recipe
What really makes this salad is the delicious and creamy cashew caesar dressing. It’s a fun spin on a traditional caesar dressing that I know you’ll love!
It's made with a few ingredients and an additional step of soaking the cashews but I promise-- it's worth it!
Other than that, it's pretty straight forward. Chop the romaine lettuce, add your toppings, and toss the salad!
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak cashews by boiling water and then adding the cashews to soak for at least 15-20 minutes to soften.
Step 2: Drain the soaked cashews then add them to a high-speed blender along with the water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, capers, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust to your preference.
Step 4: Wash and chop the lettuce. I chop the lettuce first and then wash and dry using my salad spinner. It's important that the lettuce is completely dry for the dressing to stick.
Step 5: Place the chopped romaine in a large salad bowl and add croutons, shaved vegan parmesan, red onion, capers and any other toppings that you enjoy-- I added crispy chickpeas.
Step 6: Toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing, add as much as you enjoy.
Store the remaining dressing in an airtight jar for up to a week.
Divide into bowls, serve, and enjoy!
Note: Make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce leaves before assembling the salad to ensure maximum crispness and that the dressing sticks.
Substitutions & Variations
Feel free to get creative with your cashew Caesar salad.
Change up the lettuce, add a different protein, or toss with more vegetables.
Change the base: While romaine is traditional (and superior), you can do a base of kale, spinach, or even shredded Brussels sprouts.
Add a protein: Add in some roasted chickpeas, buffalo tofu, crispy tofu nuggets, or tempeh bacon.
Add more veggies: Want a few more veggies? Go for it! Bell pepper, cucumber, or tomato would all be great additions.
Serving Ideas
This vegan Caesar salad can be served as a side dish or a main course.
Put it in a wrap: Transform the salad into an on the go meal by wrapping the ingredients in a tortilla to make a vegan caesar salad wrap.
Pasta: Caesar salad is a perfect pair with a pasta dish! My favorites are this Cashew Alfredo and Red Pepper Pasta. You can even add pasta to the salad and make a Caesar pasta salad!
Soup: For a cozy combination, opt for a soup and salad duo with choices such as this Gnocchi Soup or Tomato Basil Soup.
Tips & Tricks
Soak the cashews to ensure you get a smooth and creamy caesar dressing. Rub the blended sauce between two fingers and make sure it's smooth with no gritty texture remaining.
Romaine lettuce is the classic choice for Caesar salad due to its crisp texture and mild flavor. Make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce leaves before assembling the salad to ensure maximum crispness and that the dressing sticks.
Add protein to bulk it up! Buffalo tofu and crunchy chickpeas are my favorites.
Storage
Once tossed, this caesar salad is best served immediately because the lettuce becomes less crisp after sitting in the fridge.
Store all the ingredients separately and toss when ready to serve.
I recommend storing the cashew caesar dressing in an airtight jar in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vegan Caesar dressing can be made from cashews, tofu, plant-based mayonnaise, or even tahini!
Traditional Caesar dressing can include non-vegan ingredients like egg, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies. But thankfully, it's easy to make a vegan version.
Swap the cashews with 1 cup silken tofu. You won't need the water.
As long as you omit the croutons, yes!
More Salad Recipes
Looking for other salad recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Vegan Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Cashew Caesar Dressing:
- ½ cup Cashews soaked
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard see note
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1-2 minced Garlic Cloves or roasted garlic
- 2 teaspoons Capers
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Caesar Salad:
- 2 Heads of Romaine chopped
- ¼ cup Vegan Parmesan shredded or shaved
- ¼ cup sliced Red Onion
- 1 tablespoon Capers
- 1 batch Vegan Croutons store-bought or homemade
Instructions
- Soak cashews by boiling water and then adding the cashews to soak for at least 15-20 minutes to soften.
- Drain the soaked cashews then add them to a high-speed blender along with the water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, capers, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Wash and chop the lettuce. I chop the lettuce first and then wash and dry using my salad spinner. It's important that the lettuce is completely dry for the dressing to stick.
- Place the chopped romaine in a large salad bowl and add croutons, shaved vegan parmesan, red onion, capers and any other toppings that you enjoy-- I added crispy chickpeas, see note for more ideas.
- Toss with a few tablespoons of the Caesar dressing, add as much as you enjoy. Store the remaining dressing in an airtight jar for up to a week.
- Divide into bowls, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
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