If you love Caesar salad and wish there was a vegan version, then you are in for a treat today! I’ve always loved Caesar salad, but when I went vegan, I was saddened to realize that one of the main ingredients was anchovies. I’ve been working for years to perfect a vegan Caesar salad recipe, and this one is definitely a winner.

Many people mistakenly think that the Caesar salad is named after the Roman emperor, but this is not the case. Interestingly, the classic Caesar salad uses croutons, parmesan cheese, anchovies, romaine lettuce, olive oil, eggs, and black pepper. Originally, the recipe was developed by Cardini Caesar, an Italian immigrant who settled in San Diego after the World War 1.

Other versions of this story attribute the recipe to Giacomo Junia, a cook who worked in Caesar’s restaurant. 

Vegan Caesar Salad

The croutons in this recipe are optional but delicious. I have separated the different recipes into multiple steps to help you maximize your preparation time.

Roasted Chickpea Croutons

• 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon EVOO

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and drain your chickpeas, then pat dry. Place the chickpeas, salt, and garlic powder in the food processor or your Vitamix. Blend until smooth, drizzling in the oil in a steady stream. 

Form the paste into squares and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning your croutons halfway through.

Allow to your croutons to cool while you assemble the rest of the salad.

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 teaspoons  capers
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
• 1/2 cup raw cashews 
• 1/4 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Soak your cashews overnight by covering them in with water.

Drain your cashews. Add all ingredients to your blender. Add water to thin as you’re blending until you reach your desired consistency. 

Nut Cheese

• 2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds (I like this brand.)
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1/4 cup raw cashews 
• 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds 

Add all ingredients to your processor and process until its chopped finely. 

Lettuce Choices

There are lots of greens that you could use for this recipe, but my favorites are laticino kale and romaine lettuce.

When you’re ready to serve your salad, shred your choice of greens, then toss with dressing. Sprinkle your chickpea croutons and parmesan cheese over the top. You can even garnish your salads with a wedge of lemon if you’d like. Serve immediately.

If you end up with leftover cheese or dressing, they’ll keep for up to a week in an airtight storage container in the fridge.

I hope that you enjoy this vegan Caesar salad recipe! 

My name is Kristin, and I’m a housewife with big love for cooking. When I’m not bringing on the Food Network and attempting to become America’s Next Top Chef, I’m browsing online for unique recipes to awe my friends with. Now I ‘m a founder and main editor for Taste Insight, my blog about nutrition and vegetarian food!