Vegan Caesar Salad

A serving dish full of vegan caesar dressing is being poured over a salad. There's a bowl of cashews in the background.

Looking for a refreshing, crispy salad with a creamy dressing? This Vegan Caesar Salad is served with vegan croutons and a dairy-free caesar dressing. Serve it as an appetizer or the main meal!

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 353kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Equipment

Ingredients

Vegan Croutons

2 slices bread (whole wheat, white, or gluten-free, cut into 1-inch pieces. Approximately 2 cups)
1 clove garlic , peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Vegan Caesar Dressing

1 cup raw cashews , soaked
1 clove garlic
¼ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons miso paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped green olives
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Vegan Caesar Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chopped green olives drained
2 tablespoons vegan parmesan
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Note: The cashews for the dressing need to soak for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

For the Vegan Croutons

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub the bread slices with the cut side of the garlic clove and slice the bread into cubes. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and bake until crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Vegan Caesar Dressing

Drain the soaked cashews. In a high-speed blender, place the soaked cashews, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, miso paste, nutritional yeast flakes, olives, and water. Blend until creamy. Add olive oil and blend again.

For the Vegan Caesar Salad

Cut the romaine lettuce into 1-inch bite-size pieces and arrange in 2–4 serving bowls.
Add croutons to the bowls with chopped romaine and drizzle with the dressing. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
Top with chopped olives and any other favorite toppings. Add freshly-ground black pepper and vegan parmesan.
Store the dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge. It will thicken as it sits, so you can add either another tablespoon of olive oil or water to return it to a spreadable dressing consistency.

Nutrition