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I used to LOVE Caesar salads growing up and always ordered one as an appetizer at restaurants… until I grew up and looked at how many calories are in the dressing and I (almost) never went back! But now I’ve perfected a vegan caesar dressing that is so much healthier and dairy-free! And let’s not forget about the ahhhhmazing homemade (EASY!) croutons!
I’ve been making, testing and tweaking this recipe for about 6 months and it’s finally ready to share and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve already shared the Vegan Caesar Dressing and the Homemade Croutons so this is simply putting it all together.
I like a classic romaine lettuce for my Caesar salad but I do tend to also make this with dinosaur kale when I’m feeling the need to be even more on the healthy track.. so use whichever you prefer, both, or something else!
Ingredients
Homemade Croutons
- 1 French baguette or 4 cups cubed sourdough bread
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch dried oregano
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- 2/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 heaping tablespoon capers in brine
- 2-3 peeled garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or more to taste
Instructions
Homemade Croutons
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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Cut baguette into 3/4 inch cubes and place into a mixing bowl. Add in olive oil and toss them in the bowl until they are all well and evenly coated.
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Like a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the bread cubes on the sheet and season evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano.
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Bake for 5 minutes, give them a turn, and bake for another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Vegan Caesar Dressing
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Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend on high until well combined. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste. Note: dressing can be made up to 5-7 days in advance if stored in an air tight container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator.
Salad
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Once croutons are cooled, toss the chopped romaine with the dressing until well coated. Add in the croutons and give it another toss.
I like to let it sit for about 5 minutes before enjoying so the croutons get a little soft on the outside!
What do you think?