Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe 🌱 Get ready for the best vegan version of a classic Caesar salad! Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with a creamy, cheesy, & tangy plant-based dressing, topped with vegan parmesan and toasty croutons.
What is it about a Caesar salad that we all love so much? After all, the main ingredients are just a basic lettuce salad with croutons. The real star of the show is the dressing, the secret sauce that turns a simple salad into a taste sensation. Problem is, the original classic Caesar salad dressing is not vegan, as it usually includes ingredients like anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and Parmesan cheese.
My daughter Madi knows how much I love a good salad, so for my birthday this year, she decided to create the perfect vegan classic Caesar salad dressing. Hail Caesar, she nailed it! If you've ever tried any of her amazing plant-based spins on traditional non-vegan dishes, like her fabulous vegan cheese fondue or her delicious spinach mushroom quiche, you know what I'm talking about.
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe so good?
This vegan Caesar salad & dressing recipe is everything you want in flavor and texture to a traditional classic Caesar salad, but without causing harm to animals. How delicious is that?
This recipe is made with fresh, crisp romaine lettuce leaves tossed with a tangy, salty, cheesy, rich and creamy dressing made with lemon juice, capers, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. The salad is then topped with grated vegan parmesan and toasty croutons. OMG, it's so good!
🌱 INGREDIENT NOTES
🥕 See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details
Dressing
Lemon juice - I prefer fresh, but you can also use bottled.
Vegan mayonnaise - use your favorite brand.
Olive oil
Capers - bottled caper berries packed in brine.
Caper brine
Garlic - fresh
Nutritional yeast - everyone has their favorite, I really like this brand a lot.
Mustard - we use Dijon mustard in this recipe, but dry mustard will work as well.
Salt - we like sea salt in this recipe.
Black pepper - freshly ground is great, but pre-ground works too.
Salad
Romaine lettuce - hearts of romaine (with the outside leaves removed) are perfect in this salad. Choose the freshest lettuce you can get, because you'll want it nice and crisp, not limp.
Croutons (vegan) - store bought or homemade (see instructions below on making your own croutons from stale bread).
Parmesan (vegan) - My first choice is this grate-able vegan Parmesan by Violife, otherwise, I would use this easy homemade vegan parm that can be sprinkled on the salad.
🌱 INSTRUCTIONS
Dressing
- Place all the dressing ingredients into a small food processor or blender.
2. Blend or pulse until smooth and creamy. Transfer the dressing to a jar or small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Salad
3. Rinse and dry the lettuce. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces. Put into a salad bowl.
4. Lightly drizzle dressing over the lettuce and toss to coat lettuce with dressing (or leave as is).
5. Top with croutons and a generous sprinkle of vegan Parmesan. Enjoy!
🥕 It's so easy to make your own homemade croutons! All you need is a loaf of (preferably stale) bread, garlic powder, salt, a small amount of olive oil or vegan butter, and a skillet.
Cut bread into cubes. Spread them out on a baking sheet and place in a low <200℉ oven until the cubes are dried out. Turn the cubes over occasionally while drying.
Once the bread cubes are dry, place them in a large skillet with a small amount of vegan butter or olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Turn frequently with a spatula until croutons are nicely browned.
🌱 SERVING TIPS
This vegan classic Caesar salad & dressing recipe is delicious served as a starter or side with my favorite vegan spinach and cheese stuffed shells, vegan zucchini ravioli, pasta with Bolognese, a bowl of my 1-pot minestrone soup, or this simply delish vegan Mediterranean lemon orzo soup.
Include extra protein in your salad with thin slices of vegan chicken fillets.
Add-ins
Want to dress up your salad? Here's some tasty ideas for add-ins:
Vegan chicken strips - packaged or homemade. Adds protein, texture, and flavor.
Chickpeas - straight from the can or roasted with a bit of salt for added crunch.
Avocado - ripe, cut into cubes
Kale - chopped, tossed in with the romaine
Olives - black, green, or Kalamata olives, sliced or whole
Tomato - diced
Cucumber - peeled and diced
🌱 EQUIPMENT
Just a few basic tools are all you need to prepare this recipe.
- Small food processor or blender
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- Grater or microplane
If you love classic salads and dressings like I do, you might want to try my easy and delicious 5-minute recipe for the best vegan Thousand Island Dressing and my old-fashioned potato salad and my mom's irresistibly tasty macaroni salad!
Caesar Salad FAQ's
Where did the first classic Caesar salad and dressing originate?
The original Caesar salad and dressing recipe was created in 1924 by a restaurant owner named Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant (living in my hometown of San Diego) who owned a restaurant just south of the U.S. border in nearby Tijuana. He catered to Hollywood celebrities who enjoyed traveling to Mexico during Prohibition. His namesake salad and dressing soon became a huge hit among his guests and Caesar salad became a regular item on restaurant menus and in homes throughout the U.S.
Is Caesar salad and dressing vegan?
Made with ingredients which often include anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, the traditional version of Caesar salad is not vegan.
How do you achieve the Caesar dressing's umami flavor without anchovies?
We use briny capers and nutritional yeast to replicate the umami depth traditionally provided by anchovies. It creates a robust flavor that stands up to the classic Caesar.
Can I make this vegan Caesar salad & dressing recipe gluten-free?
Absolutely! Our salad dressing recipe is gluten-free. Make sure to use gluten-free croutons, and always double-check specific product labels to ensure all ingredients meet your dietary preferences.
How long will vegan Caesar salad dressing stay fresh?
For optimal freshness, store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for about 5 days, but use your judgment based on smell and taste.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Vegan Classic Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
Equipment
- Small food processor or blender
- Grater or microplane
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ Cup Vegan Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 2 whole Garlic Cloves Minced
- 2 Teaspoons Capers Minced
- 2 Teaspoons Caper Brine
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt ⅛ Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast or our parm
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce large head
- 1 cup croutons
- ¼ cup vegan Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
Dressing
- Place all the dressing ingredients into a small food processor or blender.
- Blend or pulse until smooth and creamy. Transfer the dressing to a jar or small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Salad
- Rinse and dry the lettuce. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces. Put into a salad bowl.
- Lightly drizzle dressing over the lettuce and lightly toss to coat lettuce with dressing (or leave as is).
- Top with croutons and a generous sprinkle of vegan Parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
Add-ins
This recipe for a vegan classic Caesar salad and dressing is a great starting point for building your own magnificent salad. Want to dress up your salad? Here's some tasty ideas for add-ins: Vegan chicken strips - packaged or homemade. Adds protein, texture, and flavor. Chickpeas - straight from the can or roasted with a bit of salt for added crunch. Avocado - ripe, cut into cubes Kale - chopped, tossed in with the romaine Olives - black, green, or Kalamata olives, sliced or whole Tomato - diced Cucumber - peeled and diced ÂNutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
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Beth says
This dressing is SO yummy! I am exploring vegan recipes and working up to "the full commit," but this kind of recipe gives me confidence that I won't miss a thing! Normie Caesar dressing gives me the ick anyway with the raw egg and anchovies; this is a delicious improvement regardless of your lifestyle! I can't wait to try more recipes from The Carrot Underground!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Thank you so much for your wonderful review Beth! Exactly what we want to hear. Wishing you many delicious adventures discovering the goodness of vegan living!
Matthew says
I made this recipe last night; the first one I've tried from Carrot Underground. I made it exactly as written (other than using my vitamix rather than a food processor) and it literally was the best Caesar salad I've ever had. The salad accompanied the bolognese recipe from this site as well and was so delicious that I made another salad for lunch today and topped it with fried vegan chicken breast. I sure am glad I doubled the salad dressing recipe! Yum. This will be in heavy rotation at our house.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
If you love tossed salads like I do, you are going to LOVE this fantastic vegan version of a classic Caesar salad. It's loaded with just the right flavors without any of the animal products used in traditional Caesar salad. How nice!