• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cozy Peach Kitchen
  • home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition & Lifestyle
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Lifestyle & Nutrition
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Lifestyle & Nutrition
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads and Salad Dressings

    Vegan Caesar Salad with Cashew Ceasar Dressing

    Published: Mar 3, 2021 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    225 shares
    jump to recipe

    This vegan Caesar salad is bursting with savory, umami flavors, just like a classic Caesar salad! It has creaminess from a homemade vegan cashew Caesar dressing and makes a well-balanced meal with roasted chickpeas and cashew parmesan.

    Caesar salad in a bowl with a gold fork.
    Table of Contents hide
    1 Recipe features
    2 Ingredients
    3 Cashew Caesar dressing
    4 Step by step instructions
    5 Recipe FAQ and expert tips
    6 Looking for similar recipes?
    7 Vegan Caesar Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing

    Recipe features

    • Diet-friendly: vegan, vegetarian, soy-free
    • Balanced: made with roasted chickpeas, homemade miso croutons, cashew Parmesan and a deliciously creamy cashew-based dressing
    • Flavorful: Packed with savory, umami flavors

    If you're like me and thought that caesar salad was out of the picture because you eat a plant-based diet, don't worry!

    This vegan Caesar salad is the kind of salad that makes salad haters happy. It's absolutely flavor-packed, filled with crispy-crunchy textures, and it's filling! And, of course, it's 100% anchovy-free.

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients used to make caesar salad.
    • Romaine lettuce: I use head of romaine lettuce and roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces, but you can buy a 10-12 ounce of pre-chopped lettuce to save on time. Spinach or kale work if you don't want to use romaine.
    • Croutons: Bite-sized pieces of baguette with a savory miso and vegan butter combination makes the best simple croutons. You can also use sourdough. Yellow or white miso will work. If unable to find miso, just add a pinch or two of salt.
    • Cashews: Choose raw, unsalted cashews to make the Caesar dressing and cashew Parmesan.
    • Worcestershire sauce is a key ingredient in Caesar salads. It usually containers anchovies, but many store-brand options are actually anchovy-free/vegan.
    • Nutritional yeast adds body and a cheesy flavor to the cashew parm and salad dressing. You can usually find nutritional yeast in the health food section, by spices/seasonings or with baking ingredients.

    Cashew Caesar dressing

    Every good vegan caesar salad needs an equally delicious dressing. This cashew Caesar dressing doesn't disappoint!

    Ingredients used to make caesar dressing.

    Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. This will take anywhere from 1-2 minutes depending on the power of your blender.

    Before and after blending cashew dressing.

    I recommend soaking cashews before blending them, as you do for cashew cream. This makes them smoother and easier to blend, especially if you don't have a high-powered blender.

    Step by step instructions

    There are a few different components to this recipe. See below for time-saving tips and tips to prep components ahead. The cashew parm and dressing can be made while the chickpeas and croutons roast.

    Cashew parmesan

    Labeled ingredients used to make cashew parm.

    I recommend making this before you make the vegan Caesar dressing because you want your blender to be completely dry. You can also make this in a food processor.

    Cashew parmesan in blender.

    Add the nutritional yeast, cashews, and seasonings to your blender. Pulse until the cashews are just broken down. You want them to be very tiny pieces like canned Parmesan.

    Crispy chickpeas

    Add chickpeas to a medium baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use clean hands to combine.

    Roast at 400 for 30 minutes total. Halfway through (after 15 minutes), remove from the oven and stir to promote even cooking. At this point, you can add the croutons to the sheet pan.

    Roasted chickpeas on a sheet pan before roasting and after 15 minutes.

    Cook until dry and golden.

    Pro tip: Pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before tossing them in olive oil. Or just air fry your chickpeas.

    Croutons

    Labeled ingredients used to make croutons.

    Tear or cut bread into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso and melted vegan butter. Drizzle over the bread, tossing to combine.

    Add croutons to the pan with the chickpeas. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until dried out and golden. The chickpeas and croutons should finish cooking at the same time.

    Assembling the salad

    For one large caesar salad: Add romaine to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with all of the caesar dressing, tossing to coat. Add the croutons, chickpeas and a sprinkle of cashew Parmesan. Garnish each serving with additional cashew parm.

    For individual caesar salads: Assemble salads as you are ready to eat them. See below for storage instructions for individual components.

    Overhead view of caesar salad in a large glass bowl on a marble background.

    Recipe FAQ and expert tips

    • Time-saving tips: Use pre-cut romaine lettuce and store bought croutons to cut down on time. Crispy chickpeas and cashew dressing can be made 1-2 days in advance of serving. Cashew Parmesan can be made 3-4 days in advance.
    • Soaking cashews: You don't need a high speed blender to make the cashew sauce. Soaking the cashews helps soften them and makes them easier to blend. Soak cashews in very hot water from a kettle for just 15 minutes or in cool water overnight or up to 24 hours. The longer they are soaked the easier they will be to blend.
    • Leftover cashew parmesan is great on vegan mac and cheese, avocado pesto, or any other kind of pasta.
    How do you store leftovers?

    I recommend assembling the vegan caesar salads as you are ready to eat them to prevent the lettuce from getting soggy. The dressing keeps for up to a week. The cashew parm keeps for up to 2 weeks and crispy chickpeas and croutons are best if eaten in 3-4 days. Store the parm, chickpeas, and croutons at room temp.

    Caesar salad in a bowl with a gold fork on a marble background.

    Looking for similar recipes?

    • Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
    • Goddess Style Tahini Salad Dressing (Vegan)
    • Vegetarian Mason Jar Salad
    • Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!

    Caesar salad in a bowl with a gold fork..
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Vegan Caesar Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing

    This salad is bursting with savory, umami flavors, just like a classic Caesar salad! It has creaminess from a homemade vegan cashew Caesar dressing and makes a well-balanced meal with roasted chickpeas and cashew parmesan.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Servings: 5 servings
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

    Ingredients

    Roasted Chickpeas

    • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed
    • 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

    Miso Croutons

    • ½ medium baguette
    • 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
    • 1 teaspoon yellow miso white miso also works

    Cashew Parmesan

    • ½ cup raw unsalted cashews
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon coarse salt

    Cashew Caesar Dressing

    • ½ cup raw unsalted cashews soaked in hot water for 15 minutes (see note #1)
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon or whole grain mustard
    • 2 small garlic cloves minced
    • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice from ~½ medium lemon

    For the Salad

    • 1 head romaine lettuce 10-12 ounces romaine lettuce leaves
    • 5 lemon wedges for serving
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions

    Roasted Chickpeas

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add chickpeas to a medium baking sheet. Pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use clean hands to combine.
    • Roast at 400F on the middle oven rack for 30 minutes total. Halfway through the 30 minutes, remove from the oven and stir to promote even cooking. At this point you can add the croutons to the sheet pan. Return to oven and roast until golden and mostly dried out.

    Miso Croutons

    • Tear or cut bread into 1 inch pieces. You need a total of 3 cups of torn bread. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso and melted vegan butter. Add bread pieces to a large bowl and drizzle the melted butter/miso over the bread, tossing to combine.
    • Add croutons to the pan with the chickpeas. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until dried out and golden.

    Cashew Parmesan

    • I recommend making this before you make the Caesar dressing because you want your blender to be completely dry. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder and coarse salt to your blender.
    • Pulse until the cashews are just broken down. You want them to be very tiny pieces like Parmesan from a jar/can. Set aside.

    Cashew Caesar Dressing

    • Combine the cashews, olive oil, mustard, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, Worcestershire sauce, salt, water and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. This will take anywhere from 1-2 minutes depending on the power level of your blender. Set aside.

    Salad

    • If using a head of lettuce, rinse individual leaves and slice into bite size pieces. Let air dry before using to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
    • For one large salad: Add romaine to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with all of the Caesar dressing, tossing to coat. Add the croutons, chickpeas and a sprinkle of the cashew Parmesan. Garnish each serving with additional cashew parm and a lemon wedge.
    • For individual salads: Assemble salads as you are ready to eat them. Garnish each with a lemon wedge. See below for storage instructions for individual components.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Cashews: Soaking the cashews softens them and makes them easier to blend. Soak cashews in very hot water from a kettle for just 15 minutes or in cool water overnight or up to 24 hours. The longer they are soaked the easier they will be to blend.
    2. Leftovers: I recommend assembling the salads as you are ready to eat them to prevent the lettuce from getting soggy. The dressing keeps for up to a week. The cashew parm keeps for up to 2 weeks and crispy chickpeas and croutons are best if eaten in 3-4 days. Store the parm, chickpeas, and croutons at room temp. 
    3. Time-saving tips: Use pre-cut romaine lettuce and store-bought croutons to cut down on time. Crispy chickpeas and cashew dressing can be made 1-2 days in advance of serving. Cashew Parmesan can be made 3-4 days in advance.

    Instagram icon

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cozypeachkitchen on Instagram and hashtag
    #cozypeachkitchen

     
    Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 16gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 444mgPotassium: 833mgFiber: 11gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 11149IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 6mg

    More Vegetarian Salad Recipes

    • Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
    • Quinoa Edamame Salad with Peanut Sauce
    • Vegetarian Chef's Salad
    • Balsamic Pasta Salad with Marinated Vegetables
    225 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carla @ Foodie Digital

      December 07, 2022 at 12:02 am

      Hands down my favorite vegan caesar salad! The raw garlic and lemon provides "bite" which works well with the creaminess of the cashews. Love that this incorporates ALL the toppings too.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        December 07, 2022 at 9:02 am

        Thanks so much for the review!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling portrait of a woman holding a bowl of grits and tofu.

    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

    More about me →

    Trending now

    • Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta
    • Stovetop Gouda Mac and Cheese
    • Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls with Almond Dressing
    • Vegetarian Black Bean Quinoa Casserole (Dump and Bake!)
    • Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Chickpeas
    • Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

    Vegetarian meal prep

    • Quinoa Edamame Salad with Peanut Sauce
    • Vegan Breakfast Egg Sandwiches
    • Vegan Lentil Bowls with Lemon Tahini Dressing
    • Easy Vegetarian Bean Burritos
    • One-Pot Vegetarian Spaghetti
    • Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice (Vegan)
    • Southwest Quinoa Taco Salad
    • Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls with Almond Dressing

    Footer

    Logos

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Cassidy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Cozy Peach Kitchen®. All rights reserved.