This is the best Vegan Caesar Salad recipe! Dressed in a restaurant-worthy, nut free vegan Caesar salad dressing, every bite of this easy salad is irresistibly creamy, comforting, and garlicky.
This easy Vegan Caesar Salad recipe takes a classic side dish and veganizes it! Homemade croutons and vegan Caesar dressing are tossed with romaine, giving you a deliciously tangy, creamy, and comforting side dish you can serve next to anything. Grab a bowl quickly because it’s sure to be eaten up fast!
Let’s face it: the real star of this recipe is the salad dressing. Vegan Caesar dressing is creamy, smooth, garlicky, tangy, and just so darn delicious. It’s completely crave-worthy! The best part? You can use it for more than just salad, like as a dip with pizza, zucchini fries, or chips, drizzled over roasted vegetables, or even on a vegan burger.
I call this the best vegan Caesar salad recipe because it’s:
- Loaded with restaurant-quality flavors
- Dressed in a briny, garlicky, and nut free vegan Caesar dressing
- Easy to make ahead of time
- A classic side dish that everyone will love!
Jump to:
Vegan Caesar salad ingredients
- Vegan mayonnaise - This is the base of the vegan Caesar dressing. To make oil free dressing, use cashew cream (cashews blended with water) instead.
- White miso - Most Caesar dressings are made with anchovies. To replicate the same umami, salty flavors, you can use white miso instead.
- Garlic - A few fresh garlic cloves are the secret to making vegan Caesar dressing crave-worthy. If you want deeper flavors, swap the fresh garlic for roasted garlic.
- Capers - Traditional Caesar dressing is made with anchovies, which add a fishy, umami, salty, and briny taste. Capers (part of the olive family) are the next best option!
- Lemon juice - For balance, brightness, and to help break up the sharp, tangy flavors.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce - If you can’t find Worcestershire sauce, use the brine from the jar of capers instead.
- Spices - You need nutritional yeast, granulated onion and garlic, and pepper.
- Croutons - Croutons are easy to make and a must on any Caesar salad recipe. If you want to make homemade croutons, all you need is bread, vegan butter or a drizzle of olive oil, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Looking for a low carb crouton instead? Oven roasted chickpeas are just as crunchy and flavorful, and have added protein.
- Romaine - Crispy, crunchy romaine lettuce is classic but you could also use kale or iceberg lettuce.
How to make vegan Caesar salad dressing
First, we’ll start with the dressing. Vegan Caesar dressing is creamy, garlicky, nut free, and easy to make. Keep an extra batch in your fridge at all times to use on more salads, to drizzle on pizza, or use as a dipping sauce for baked zucchini fries!
The flavors in the salad dressing get even better with time. For this reason, I recommend making it a few hours or days ahead of serving. Just keep it in the fridge and pull it out whenever you have a craving!
Here’s how it’s done:
- Prep the dressing ingredients: Chop the garlic and capers. Add them and the rest of the dressing ingredients to a bowl.
- Whisk the dressing: Whisk the Caesar salad dressing ingredients together until smooth.
- Store or serve: Drizzle the salad dressing over a vegan Caesar salad right away or store it in the fridge for later.
How to make the best vegan Caesar salad
Now it’s time to assemble the salad. Don’t forget the homemade croutons for plenty of crunch! If you like to load your vegan salads with plenty of toppings, keep scrolling for even more ideas.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Bake the croutons: Butter the bread slices and season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Cut into cubes and spread them on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until they’re golden brown and crisp.
- Prep the lettuce: Chop the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces and wash them well. Drain and dry the lettuce, then place it in a large salad bowl.
- Assemble the salad: Pour the dressing over the lettuce in the bowl. Add the croutons, then toss to combine. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy! For full ingredients and instructions see printable recipe card below
Tips for success
- If you like an extra smooth dressing, skip chopping the garlic and capers and blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor instead.
- Homemade croutons can be baked ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Don't over dress your salad and toss just before serving no one wants a soggy salad!
- make sure to use a salad spinner so lettuce is relatively dry
- Store the Caesar salad dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. I don’t recommend freezing it.
What else can you put on Caesar salad?
There are a few extra toppings you could add to a vegan Caesar salad to make it even creamier, more filling, and delicious. Here’s what I recommend:
- Beans and vegetables: Mix in avocado, capers, cucumber, roasted garlic, white beans, or chickpeas.
- Vegan cheese: Vegan parmesan cheese, vegan blue cheese, shredded vegan mozzarella, or just nutritional yeast to keep it simple.
- Protein: Slice up vegan chicken, add crumbled tofu bacon or coconut bacon, or use soy curls to turn the salad into a meal.
Serving suggestions
Need an easy side dish you can serve with anything? Make it Caesar salad! This simple salad is especially great next to comfort food and Italian flavors, like garlic bread, vegan lasagna, and bolognese. For an easy, yet comforting meal, enjoy the salad with a bowl of minestrone soup and focaccia or artisan bread.
More easy vegan salad recipes
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Curried Quinoa Salad
- Vegan Pasta Salad
- Easy Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Enjoy everyone! Happy Day! Please feel free to comment below and give this recipe a rating. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
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Print
Vegan Caesar Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is the best Vegan Caesar Salad recipe! Dressed in a restaurant-worthy, nut free vegan Caesar salad dressing, every bite of this easy salad is irresistibly creamy, comforting, and garlicky.
Ingredients
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1 large head of romaine lettuce
For Croutons:
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2 slices of bread, regular or gluten free
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vegan butter
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pinch of salt and pepper
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pinch of granulated garlic
For Caesar Dressing:
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½ cup of vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon garlic, slightly heaped and finely chopped, about 2-3 cloves of garlic
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1 tablespoon capers, drained and finely chopped
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1 tablespoon white miso, I use Shiro Miso
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or 1 teaspoon brine from jar of capers
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2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
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¼ teaspoon onion powder
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¼ teaspoon granulated garlic (powder)
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¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Croutons: Preheat oven to 350°, lightly butter two pieces of bread on both sides. Sprinkle one side of each piece of bread with a little salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Cut the bread into slices then into ¾ to 1 inch cubes. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until crispy, stirring halfway. Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheet.
- For dressing: Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop and or smash the capers with a fork. Add both to a small bowl with the rest of dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside in the fridge until needed (dressing is even better the next day!).
- Romaine lettuce: chop into bite size pieces, add to a bowl of cold water to rinse. Drain and dry the lettuce in a salad spinner, and add to a large salad bowl, refrigerate until needed.
- Assemble salad: Pour the dressing evenly over the lettuce. Add the croutons and toss the salad with tongs. Garnish with some fresh cracked pepper and vegan parmesan if you like.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately and enjoy. For photos, Tips, suggestions and more see above post.
Notes
- To Store: Dressing will keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week. I don't recommend freezing it.
This post has been updated. It was originally published August 2019. the recipe itself is unchaged.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: mixing bowl
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
Abi
This dressing is incredible. I make it regularly and my husband loves it. Thank you!
Elysse Chappell-Dolby
This is phenomenal!!
Lise
Commenting again because I didn't know to rate with stars the first time and it won't let me add them now. I've made this multiple times (like 1-2x every week!) since discovering it. My husband says he would happily eat it every night! Instead of croutons, I use roasted chickpeas for a bit of crunchy protein. DELISH!! Last night I added thinly sliced red onion - also delish! So thrilled to have found this recipe!
Verna
Well you just totally made my day! thank you so much Lise for taking the time to leave a 5 star rating. I am so happy you're both enjoying the Caesar salad recipe 🙂 xo - I love adding crispy chickpeas too sometimes!!
Lise
This is, hands down, the BEST vegan Caesar dressing I've tried. It's a household favorite - even with my kids - and will definitely be a regular menu item around here!
Verna
What a wonderful compliment, thank you so much Lise 🙂 feel free to leave a star rating too - really helpful xo
Amy
I love this Caesar recipe! It’s so easy also!!
Verna
Thank you so much Amy!! I so appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. I am thrilled you like it 🙂
Rachel
THE most delicious caesar dressing I’ve made! Everyone at the potluck ate it up! Thank you!
Verna
Yay!! thanks so much for your review I am thrilled you all enjoyed it!