Caesar Salad Bowls
Caesar salad in grain bowl form! Made with a seasoned quinoa base, crispy chickpeas and tofu, and Caesar dressing. Makes 3-4 servings.
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 729kcal
Ingredients
For the tofu and chickpeas
- 14 ounce block extra firm tofu
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons dry parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon white sugar
Assembly
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- pinch or two salt
- 1 cup herby croutons
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 medium cucumber chopped
- 3-4 handfuls chopped romaine lettuce
- grated vegetarian Parmesan to taste; feta is good here too
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Caesar dressing to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Press the tofu for at least 10 minutes using a tofu press or by weighing it down with a heavy skillet. Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- Add the cubed tofu and chickpeas to a large bowl. Toss with the oil, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
- Transfer the tofu and chickpeas to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Bake at 400F for 35 to 40 minutes, shaking halfway through. When ready, the chickpeas should be crisp and the tofu golden.
- Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh sieve. Transfer to a small pot with 1 cup vegetable broth (or water) and a pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Cover and simmer until cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, roughly chop the croutons. The pieces don't need to be uniform in size. You can also transfer them to a Ziploc bag and smash with a tenderizer or potato masher.
- Optional: Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.
- When the quinoa is fully cooked, fluff it with a fork. Stir in ¼ cup nutritional yeast, the juice of ½ a lemon, and the almonds. If serving immediately, stir in the croutons. If meal prepping, keep the croutons separate and add just before eating to keep them crunchy.
- Make the bowls by dividing quinoa, tofu, chickpeas, chopped cucumber, romaine, and a sprinkle of cheese between 3 servings. Serve with a slice of lemon from the second half of lemon.
- Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with Caesar dressing just before serving. If meal prepping, keep the Caesar separate until just before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Makes 3-4 servings, but calculations are for 3 bowls. Nutrition calculations are an estimation and will vary based on ingredients used. Caesar dressing is not included because it varies widely based on brand and whether it is vegan or not.
- Also goes well with feta instead of Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 1096mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 8mg
