This is the one salad I can eat all day every day because it’s so delicious and so easy to make: a classic Vegan Caesar Salad. Like all Caesar salads it needs a minimal quantity of ingredients for the base — three in this case: romaine lettuce, air fryer chickpea “croutons” (you can just use plain canned chickpeas if you’d rather), and smoky tempeh “bacon”. But what sets it apart is that amazing Caesar salad dressing — it is creamy and luxurious, slightly tangy and slightly sweet, and altogether delicious. The dressing takes just five minutes to make in a blender and it hits all the right flavor notes. There’s even the hint of the sea you’d expect in a Caesar dressing — but without the anchovies, of course. If you’re curious about finding out how to achieve that, read on.
Why you’ll love this recipe
It’s fresh and delicious. A Caesar salad dressing usually includes anchovies (or worcestershire sauce, which has fermented anchovies) as well as egg yolks (or mayonnaise)–all not welcome in a vegan dressing. This dressing includes smart substitutions for these ingredients. Both the dressing and the salad are great for you. Every ingredient in the Caesar salad and the Caesar salad dressing is handpicked to make sure you are eating healthy and nourishing your body as well as pleasing your tastebuds. With the chickpeas and tempeh you can make this a meal. There is enough healthy protein here with the chickpeas and tempeh so that you will get up from your lunch or dinner table with the feeling of having eaten well—even if you only ate the salad. You can make both the salad and the dressing in minutes. This process is not difficult nor time-consuming and you can have yourself a light lunch or dinner–or a delicious side–ready in under 15 minutes. It can be enjoyed by everyone. The salad is vegan and gluten-free and suited for those eating a low-carb diet. If you are soy-free or nut-free, read the list of ingredients for substitutions.
How to make Vegan Caesar Salad (step by step)
Make the Caesar Salad Dressing
2 large heads romaine lettuce. This is typically used in a Caesar but you can use iceberg lettuce if you wish. 1 batch air fryer chickpeas. Or use any roasted chickpeas of your choice, or even plain, cooked chickpeas. 12 oz tempeh “bacon” (you can buy this or make your own seasoned tempeh by tossing tempeh with your favorite spices–I use ground fennel, soy sauce, maple syrup and garlic powder. Air frying it for 12 minutes at 350 degrees). You can also use tofu cubes here. If soy-free use more chickpeas and skip the tempeh. ½ cup vegan parmesan
For the Caesar Salad Dressing
2 large cloves garlic ½ cup raw cashews. This will add creaminess and body to the sauce, much as egg yolks would. If you are nut-free you can use raw pumpkin seeds instead of cashews. 1 nori sheet. The kind used to roll sushi. This, along with tamari, will add a richness and depth to the sauce that closely emulates the flavor added by anchovies. This is a trick I learned many years ago when I made and shared with you my vegan pasta puttanesca recipe. 1 tablespoon tamari 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon maple syrup ½ cup water. You might need more or less to thin out the sauce. Salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Place all ingredients except water in the blender. Powdering the nori before adding it to the blender will make the process quicker, as the nori takes a bit of time to break down in the blender. If you have a high powered blender it should be fine. With the blender running, pour the water through the feed tube until you have a very smooth and creamy dressing. Scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times, if necessary. You can add more or less water depending on how creamy you want the dressing to be.
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Tear off bite-size pieces of the romaine lettuce by hand and place them in a large salad bowl. Add the salad dressing and toss to mix. Stir in the chickpeas and tempeh, if using. You can also use tofu, like this air fryer tofu, instead of tempeh. Or skip the tempeh and tofu if nut-free and use more chickpeas. Sprinkle on vegan parmesan before serving.
Storage instructions
The dressing should be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar or bottle. It will last a week in the refrigerator.
More vegan salad recipes
Vegan Potato Salad with Turmeric and Green Peas Classic Vegan Potato Salad Curried Carrot Salad, Indian Style Chickpea Avocado Salad Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Beets and Curry Cashew Dressing
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