Vegan Caesar Salad with Roasted Chickpea Croutons
This vegan caesar salad makes a delicious alternative to the classic version! A creamy cashew based dressing flavors the crisp romaine lettuce leaves while crunchy chickpea croutons and a nutty parmesan cheese adds flavor and texture.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 263kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce or 1 small head of romaine and 1 bunch of Lactino kale
Roasted Chickpea Croutons:
- 1 container 13.4 ounce or can of chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Caesar Dressing:
- ¾ cup raw cashews covered & soaked in water overnight
- ½ cup water
- ½ lemon juiced approximately 1 ½ tablespoons
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons capers
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt & pepper or to taste
Nutty Parmesan Cheese:
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Place cashews (for dressing) in a bowl or measuring cup and soak in water overnight. Drain & rinse.
Prep the Letttuce
- Break each leaf apart by hand (or cut) into bite size pieces, setting a few whole leaves aside for plating purposes. Clean in a salad spinner or bowl of water. Dry thoroughly.
Make the Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400°. Drain & rinse chickpeas. Place in a clean towel to dry. Remove the chickpeas from the towel and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour olive oil over the chickpeas and move them around gently so they are coated evenly. Sprinkle the seasonings over the chickpeas and shift around again (I find it easiest to just rotate them around with my hands). Roast for approximately 30 minutes, until crispy golden brown, rotating after 15 minutes with a spoon or spatula.
Make the Dressing
- Drain & rinse the cashews. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth & creamy. Add more water if necessary. You can also add nutritional yeast if you desire.
Make the Parmesan Topping
- Place cashews & garlic in a food processor and blend until fully chopped. Add the remaining ingredients (except oil) and pulse until blended well. Add the oil and pulse a few more times.
- Plate greens (or in a large bowl). Top with chickpea croutons, nutty parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the vegan caesar dressing.
Notes
Don't forget to soak the cashews in advance!
For the dressing, use 1 cup of All-Purpose Cashew Cream and add the rest of the ingredients to the blender omitting cashews, water, and salt.
Store leftovers separately, so they last longer.
Use vegan Caesar salad as a main dish or as a side.
You can make this salad with romaine lettuce or a combination of kale and romaine.
Make sure your greens are dry! Otherwise, they will water down the dressing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 9128IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg