Classic Vegan Caesar Salad

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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 probably already knew that Caesar salads aren’t vegan. Obviously that creamy dressing is loaded with dairy, and often eggs as well.

But they’re usually not even vegetarian! The Caesar dressing is typically made with Anchovies, and the Parmesan cheese that gets sprinkled on top could be made with animal rennet.

So I’m guessing there are lots and lots of folks out there who really could use a good vegan Caesar salad recipe. I’m here to help!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive oil.
• Garlic.
• Baguette. Feel free to substitute another type of crusty bread here, like Italian or sourdough. This is a great way to use up bread that’s a day or more old.
• Salt & pepper.
• Raw cashews. They absolutely must be raw in order for the dressing to have the right texture and flavor. We’ll also be soaking them in water for a few hours to soften them up for blending.
• White miso paste. This adds salty, savory flavor to the dressing. Look for it in the international foods section of your supermarket.
• Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
• Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Not all Worcestershire sauce is vegan, so make sure you use a brand that is, like Annie’s or Edward & sons. You can also make homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce.
• Dijon mustard.
• Water.
• Romaine lettuce.
• Fresh parsley.
• Vegan Parmesan cheese. Use homemade vegan Parmesan cheese, or your favorite store-bought variety.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Make the Croutons

Do this first, so you can whip up the dressing while they bake. 

• Cut or tear your bread into small pieces, then add them to a bowl with olive oil and minced garlic. Toss everything to evenly coat the bread pieces.
• Arrange your bread pieces on a baking sheet, sprinkle them with salt, and pop them into the oven until the turn golden brown and crisp up a bit.

Make the Dressing

• Place all of your dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender: cashews, garlic, miso paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and water.
• Blend the mixture it’s until smooth, give it a taste test and adjust any seasonings to suit your taste. You can also thin the dressing with some extra water at this point.

Does the dressing recipe look familiar? That’s because I already shared my vegan Caesar dressing recipe in an earlier post. Check it out if you want some pro tips on how to make it.

Assemble the Salad

• Tear or roughly chop your lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place them into a large salad bowl.
• Add your croutons, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with Parm. Give everything a toss, and you’re ready to serve your vegan Caesar salad.

Leftovers & Storage

The fully assembled salad is best served immediately, as the croutons and lettuce will get soggy as they sit in the dressing.

If you think you’ll have leftovers, I recommend only assembling as much salad as you’ll need so you can store the components separately.

The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days or in the freezer for about 3 months.

The croutons will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.