Vegan Caesar Salad This is a copycat version of a traditional Caesar salad, vegetarian for plant-based salad lovers. You’ll love this vegan Caesar salad recipe.
Whenever I fancy a tasty salad, I make a vegan Caesar salad with all the trimmings. With a few changes, I transformed a traditional Caesar salad into a vegan Caesar salad recipe. However, it takes a little creativity and some special ingredients to make an incredible vegan Caesar salad recipe. Like most of my recipes, I add a little something special because I love vegetables and more fun.
Jump:
I often set up a mini salad bar as part of dinner to make salad fun at my house. Instead of choosing what goes in everyone’s bowl, I let the kids choose. As a result, kids learned to eat more vegetables and soon became fast-loving salad fans.
Vegan Caesar Salad, for example, is one of my family’s favorite salads, so I veganized it for them!
Vegan Caesar Salad Ingredients
Because traditional Caesar salad contains a whole bunch of animal-based products, like Parmesan cheese, anchovies, eggs and buttery croutons, my plant-based Caesar salad has less than half the calories and fat of a traditional Caesar salad.
- Romaine Lettuce: The most nutritious lettuce is romaine. It provides more folate, potassium, beta-carotene and lutein than red leaf, green leaf, butterhead (Boston and Bibb varieties) and iceberg.
- English Cucumber: An English cucumber is usually sweeter than regular, common cucumbers with much larger seeds, which contribute to their bitter taste. Additionally, the skin is thinner than a sliced cucumber and therefore does not require peeling.
- Grape tomatoes: A grape tomato is shaped like a typical grape – mostly tall and oval. In comparison, a typical cherry tomato is shaped like a cherry – most are perfectly round!
- Red Onion: Red onion is Rich in anthocyanins, Powerful plant pigments that may protect against heart disease, certain types of cancer, and diabetes.
- Caper: These small, green buds can add a sharp sour and salty flavor to many other recipes. Little preparation is required, and they can be added to salads (including pasta and potato salad), used as a condiment or garnish, or finely chopped for dressings and sauces.
- Croutons: I make oil-free crispy garlic croutons
- Homemade Vegan Caesar Dressing: I make the vegetarian Caesar dressing that is included in this post.
Substitute vegan Caesar salad ingredients
- Choose any greens you like, such as spinach, kale, collard greens or red leaf lettuce.
- Regular cucumbers work, but I recommend removing the seeds to reduce moisture in the salad.
- Cherry tomatoes are an excellent alternative to grape tomatoes.
- Yellow onions or green onions replace red onions in recipes.
- If you don’t like capers, skip this ingredient.
- If you don’t want to make your own, try bottled vegan Caesar dressing.
Traditional Caesar Salad vs. Vegan Caesar Salad
According to the Food NetworkA traditional Caesar salad recipe contains an incredible amount of fat and calories.
Therefore, a traditional Caesar salad contains 470 calories, 40 grams of fat (9 grams saturated), and 1070 milligrams of sodium. Even the “side salad” has 362 calories, 26 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat and 913 milligrams of sodium.
Unfortunately, many people confuse salad with healthy food without thinking about the ingredients.
On the other hand, my vegan Caesar salad has only 116 calories, 3 grams of unsaturated fat and 565 milligrams of sodium. Still, it tastes just as good or better than that fattening version.
Crouton ingredients
While most store-bought croutons contain oil, my oil-free croutons pack just as much crunch without the oil.
- Dave’s Multi-Grain Bread: The bread needs to be frozen to make the perfect croutons.
- Aquafaba (chickpea liquid): The sticky aquafaba liquid in the can is a great oil substitute and helps the spices stick to the bread.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is garlic and adds a nice flavor to the croutons.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder adds another dimension of flavor.
- Garlic Salt: Garlic salt adds another layer of garlic and salt to the crouton.
Substitute crouton ingredients
- Use any frozen bread. Choose gluten-free bread for gluten-free croutons.
- Brush frozen bread with unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk instead of aquafaba.
- Choose any seasoning combination.
- For spicier croutons, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients
And with most great salads, the dressing steals the show! Try not to fork over this vegan Caesar dressing.
- Raw cashews: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak raw cashews overnight to soften them.
- Water: Water thins the dressing and acts as an oil to neutralize the dressing.
- Lemon juice: I like to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard is tangy and Caesar dressing adds texture and immense flavor.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is garlic.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic gives the dressing a warm, earthy flavor.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: i like Wizard’s gluten-free brand
- Caper: Capers are salty and add texture and flavor.
- Salt/Pepper to taste: Add salt and pepper to taste. I love fresh chilies.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese:(Optional) For an extra cheesy flavor, sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese.
When I make a salad bar, my family gathers around and eats more salad. Then, I watch them go back for seconds. Sometimes salad is the only part of dinner without leftovers the next day.
Recipe FAQs
Capers are a great alternative to anchovies in traditional Caesar dressing. Capers are thankfully vegetarian-friendly. They are preserved in salty brine and have a wonderful olive or lemon flavor.
Green olives are often substituted for capers in recipes.
The plant is best known for its edible flower buds (capers), used as a condiment or garnish, and the fruit (caper berries), which are usually salted or pickled. Along with C. spinosa, other species of Capparis are also picked for their buds or fruit.
advice
- If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak raw cashews overnight.
- Wait to add the croutons or dress the salad until serving time.
- Make the Caesar dressing ahead of time, so it thickens and chills in the fridge.
- The dressing stays fresh in the fridge for 5 days.
- Place the croutons in a dry place, covered. Please do not refrigerate the croutons.
- Prepare individual salads or create a salad bar for people to choose toppings.
And I don’t know about you, but it’s a win in my house. So, bring vegan Caesar salad for your hungry crew.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Caesar Salad
Vegan Caesar Salad is a copycat version of a traditional Caesar salad, veganized for plant-based salad lovers. Oil-free, right down to the croutons, this vegan Caesar salad is healthy and delicious with all the delicious flavors in a Caesar salad.
Materials
Oil-free crispy garlic croutons
Caesar dressing (makes ¾-1 cup)
instructions
Caesar dressing
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender
Blend on high until smooth
Place the dressing in a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
Serve on the side for a salad bar
Comment
- If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak raw cashews overnight.
- Wait to add the croutons or dress the salad until serving time.
- Make the Caesar dressing ahead of time so it thickens and chills in the fridge.
- The dressing stays fresh in the fridge for 5 days.
- Place the croutons in a dry place, covered. Please do not refrigerate the croutons.
- Prepare individual salads or create a salad bar for people to choose toppings.
nutrition
Worship: 8gCalories: 138kcalSugars: 21gProtein: 6gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gTrans fats: 0.004gSodium: 443mgPotassium: 661mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 13999IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 3mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegetarian and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Source link