3 Delicious Vegan Caesar Dressing Recipes plus 2 Creative Crouton Ideas

Vegan Kale Caesar with Chickpea Croutons

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

A great Caesar Salad was always one of my favorites, pre-vegan, and for a while I didn’t really miss not having it. Once I realized how easy it was to “veganize” Caesar Dressings, I was hell-bent on proving that it can be just as delicious as the “real” thing. I started seeing it on menus at vegan restaurants and knew that this was a dish I needed to make at home. The key to getting at the heart of the Caesar flavor is making sure you get that salty, tangy, cheesy, garlicky creaminess that spreads easily on your greens and stays there.

I have used 3 different base ingredients for each of the creamy vegan caesars dressing; cashew cream, tofu and vegan mayo. After blending in all the other ingredients, Voilà, you have your caesar!

Vegan Kale Caesar with Chickpea Croutons and Cashew Cream Caesar Dressing

Vegan Caesar Dressing Using Cashew Cream

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight, then drained and rinsed) (Note: I have read that you can boil the cashews for 15minutes and it’s equivalent to soaking overnight, but I haven’t personally tried that yet.)
1/2 cup water
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 small clove garlic
1 Tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons capers
1 Tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a blender on high. Taste and salt accordingly.

Vegan Kale Caesar with Tofu Dressing and Tofu Croutons

Vegan Caesar Dressing Using Tofu

Ingredients

1/2 package of organic firm tofu (gently pressed to eliminate excess liquid) sliced or broken into pieces. (Note: Save other half of tofu to make croutons.)
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons capers
1 Tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce or tamari sauce)
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Taste and salt to your own fast buds delight.

Vegan Brussels Sprouts Caesar with Vegan Mayo Caesar Dressing

Vegan Caesar Dressing Using Vegan Mayo

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Vegan Mayo
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 squirts of your favorite hot sauce
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
salt and pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together.

Vegan Caesar Salad Topped with Chickpea Salad

Caesar Salad Croutons:

I love the croutons in Caesar Salad!

It’s easy to make toasty croutons from cubed leftover bread: spread with a bit of vegan “butter” spread and sprinkled with a little garlic powder and just pop in the toaster oven. But that would be pretty ordinary, still good, though.

Another idea is garbanzo bean croutons: drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, place on a oil-sprayed baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic, paprika and salt and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Watch after that so they don’t burn, but brush a little oil on them, roll around and bake for another 5 minutes or so.

How about baked tofu croutons? Take the other half of the tofu from the dressing recipe and cube. Put the cubes in a bowl with a little soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Let it marinate for about 15 minutes and then bake the cubes in the oven at 400 for about 25 minutes. They should get nice and brown on the outside but not burnt.

“Parmesan” Caesar Salad Sprinkle

from Oh She Glows

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw cashews
1 Tablespoon raw sesame seeds
2 Tablespoons hulled hemp seeds
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste

Directions: In a food processor, pulse the cashews until finely ground. Then add all the ingredients and pulse until combines. Sprinkle on any Caesar Salad salad throughout.

For many other great Vegan American Princess endorsed recipes:

Vegan Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad