This crowd-pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad is always a hit at my house. Fresh, crispy romaine lettuce, crunchy cheesy croutons, smoky coconut bacon and sprouted beans for extra crunch and nutrients. Sprouts are easy to make at home! Watch my video to learn how! If you don’t have time to make them, you can find beans sprouts at most supermarkets.
Did you know that traditional Caesar salad dressing contains anchovies? To create the salty sea taste in the dressing without fish I use seaweed flakes! It brings an umami flavor to the tangy, salty creamy dressing. This salad is so versatile. Feel free to adapt the number of ingredients to your liking. If you love coconut bacon, add more! Not a fan of sprouts? Simply omit.
I use a knife to cut my lettuce instead of tearing it by hand the way my mother used to. Tearing required squeezing of the lettuce which can damage the tender leaves.
For the dressing, I recommend soaking the cashews for a few hours or overnight if you don’t have a high-speed blender. If you have a Vitamix you can soak for 10 minutes in hot water or even omit the soaking altogether if you’re short on time.
Make your own croutons from scratch with this simple, vegan crouton recipe. These vegan croutons are cheesy, garlicky, salty and crunchy. Way better than store-bought!
When dicing your bread use whatever size of cubes you prefer. Just make sure that the croutons are informally sized, so they cook evenly. I use nutritional yeast to get the cheesy flavor and it also has many health benefits. This is an excellent way to use up stale bread! These make an excellent addition to salad and soups.
Scroll below for the full list of ingredients and instructions to making your Vegan Caesar Salad. If you enjoyed this recipe, you may want to try making my Roasted Pear & Spinach Salad.
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Scroll below for a full list of ingredients and instructions. Let me know how you enjoy this recipe in the comment section below or find me at @SusanCooksVegan on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook , Pinterest and Twitter
PrintHow To Make A Vegan Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the salad:
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2 large heads of romaine lettuce (about 15 cups chopped)
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1 ½ cup sprouted beans (I used mung)
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½ cup coconut bacon (recipe here)
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4 cups cheesy croutons
For the dressing (makes 1 cup):
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½ cup raw cashews, soaked (if not using a high-speed blender)
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2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
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3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
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¼ cup plant milk
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1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
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3 garlic cloves
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1 tbsp capers
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2 tbsp nori flakes
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½ tsp sea salt and pepper (or to taste)
For the croutons:
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6 cups cubed bread
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¼ cup olive oil
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1 tbsp garlic powder
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¼ cup nutritional yeast
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1 tsp sea salt
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½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
For the salad:
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Soak cashews in boiling water (see note) for the dressing. Drain and rinse.
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Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut lettuce into bite-size pieces. Rinse and spin dry using a salad spinner. Add to a large salad bowl along with sprouted beans.
For the dressing:
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Add the cashews and remaining ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until the dressing is very smooth. If dressing is too thick you can add water 1 tbsp at a time to thin it out. Keep in mind the dressing will firm up as it sits. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
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Add dressing onto lettuce and beans and toss until fully coated. Sprinkle on the coconut bacon and cheesy croutons. Serve immediately
For the croutons:
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Preheat oven to 375F. Ensure the oven rack is in the middle setting. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, evenly drizzle the olive oil over the bread chunks. Sprinkle over the remaining ingredients and toss gently until well-combined.
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Spread the cubes out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
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Bake until golden, turning once halfway through cooking in order to brown all sides of the crouton. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your cubes, so watch that they don’t burn. Mine usually take between 15-20 minutes.
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Remove from oven and let cool completely. Use immediately or store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
For the dressing, I recommend soaking the cashews for a few hours or overnight if you don’t have a high-speed blender. If you have a Vitamix you can soak for 10 minutes in hot water or even omit the soaking altogether if you’re short on time.
