Serves 4
Total time: 15 minutes

Classic vegan caesar salad with chickpea

Quick, easy, and simple vegan Caesar salad. This recipe gives you its all in just a few simple ingredients. You will use the easy tahini-based vegan Caesar dressing for everything!

I rarely put the word “vegan” into a recipe because that would get tedious. But the reason I’m using it now is that I want to stress that this is a classic vegan Caesar. Not a classic Caesar, but a salad that vegans have been making for as far back as, I don’t know, the 1980s? The legend goes that some vegan awoke from a long VCR’ed Dynasty marathon, with a yearning for garlic and nutritional yeast… and the vegan Caesar was born.

The difference matters because vegan Caesar dressing has its own logic. No anchovies, no egg yolk, no parmesan (duh) and instead, tahini for creaminess, nutritional yeast for that umami depth, whole grain dijon for tang, and enough garlic to mean business. It comes together in a coffee mug with a fork. No blender, no soaking, no drama. And it tastes exactly like Caesar should.

This version is loaded with avocado and chickpeas which make it a full meal: creamy, protein-packed, and satisfying enough to actually hold you. But it’s also endlessly versatile. Pile it into a wrap with some roasted veggies for lunch. Throw in grilled asparagus, capers, olives, or roasted portobello. It’s the kind of recipe you make once and then slowly make your own. Here are some proteiny ideas for what else to use to bulk her up.

Make It Even More a Meal: What to Put on Top

Here are some of my favorite things to pile on:

Kate’s Buffalo Tofu Wings — Shatteringly crispy, dunked in buffalo sauce, with extra Caesar dressing on the side. You already know.

Golden Savory Baked Tofu — Five minutes of prep, thirty minutes in the oven, and you’ve got crispy nooch-crusted tofu that belongs on top of every salad you ever make.

Chickpea Cutlets — The PPK original. Slice them warm over the top and call it a day.

Gluten-Free Tofu Chick’n Cutlets — Golden, crispy, poultry-seasoned, and done in about 15 minutes. Slice on a bias and fan out over the salad for maximum drama.

Garlicky Thyme Tempeh — Ultra flavorful, smoky, incredibly satisfying. If you’re a tempeh person this is the one.

A Note on Garlic (To Make Your Life Easier)

You don’t have to waste time measuring garlic into a teaspoon… just eyeball it. Since this dressing comes together so fast you can adjust to your taste easily. And if you’re feeling lazy about peeling, here’s a trick: grate it on a microplane with the skin still on. The skin stays on top of the grater and falls away. You won’t get the whole clove this way but hey, all in the name of laziness. Just don’t start at the nub side, it’s too rough to grate.

Tahini-based vegan Caesar salad dressing

VEGAN CAESAR SALAD FAQ

Is this vegan Caesar dressing nut-free? Yup — tahini is made from sesame seeds, not nuts, so this is totally nut-free. Great for anyone with nut allergies who still wants a creamy Caesar.

Can I make the dressing ahead of time? Hells yeah. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. It thickens up a bit as it sits so just thin with a little water and stir before using.

Why does my tahini seize up when I add water? It’s a tahini thing! It will look weirdly thick and curdled for a moment and then smooth right out if you just keep stirring. Give it a minute. It always comes good.

Can I use something other than tahini? Not for this recipe. I mean, you could fudge with it, but I would just use a mayo based or cashew based caesar dressing instead.

Can I use this as a vegan Caesar wrap? For sure — it’s one of my favorite ways to use it. Spread the dressing on a large flour tortilla, pile in some romaine, chickpeas, avocado, and whatever else you’ve got. Grilled tofu, roasted red peppers, or a handful of arugula all work great. Roll it up tight, grill it if you like, and you’ve got a seriously good lunch.

What can I add to this vegan Caesar salad? So many things. Toasted pine nuts, capers, olives, grilled asparagus, roasted portobello, sliced Chickpea Cutlets, Golden Savory Baked Tofu, vegan bacon, grilled seitan, or a handful of cooked quinoa. It’s one of those recipes that plays well with basically everything. See links above!

Is this gluten-free? Yup yup yup, everything in the base recipe is naturally gluten free.

How did I end up here? Searching “vegan Caesar salad” or “vegan Caesar dressing” probably. Maybe “tahini Caesar dressing” or “vegan Caesar without cashews.” You found the best one! You are amazing at googling.

Vegan caesar salad

Classic Vegan Caesar With Avocado & Chickpeas

Isa Chandra
Quick, easy, and simple vegan Caesar salad with a creamy tahini dressing made in a coffee mug with a fork. Loaded with avocado and chickpeas and ready in 15 minutes.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup water (plus more for thinning)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh grated garlic (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:

  • 8 oz romaine (2 hearts) chopped
  • Handful of baby arugula
  • 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 pc avocado diced
  • Fresh black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Stir together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, or a coffee mug. Use a fork to blend smooth. Add additional tablespoons of water to thin, as needed. Taste for salt and seasoning. It should be slightly salty, because the saltiness will subside when you dress the salad.
  • In a large mixing bowl, toss the greens with the dressing. Add the avocado and chickpeas. Serve with fresh black pepper sprinkled on top.
Keyword vegan Caesar salad, vegan Caesar dressing, tahini Caesar dressing, vegan Caesar without cashews, easy vegan Caesar, vegan Caesar wrap, dairy free Caesar dressing
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