The weather in the PNW is finally warming up and I’m craving all the salads. Especially a crisp classic Caesar Salad. Lately there is just something about them that always sounds appetizing to me. Maybe it’s how easy it is or how customizable, or maybe it’s the creamy, tangy, rich dressing?! Whatever it is, no Caesar salad is complete without a delicious Caesar Dressing. I’ve eaten so many of these salads lately I’ve perfected this vegan take on the classic salad dressing.
Easy Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
Vegan Caesar is a quick, easy staple that’s almost always taking up real estate in my fridge. Traditional Caesar Dressing is made with eggs and anchovies. You won’t find that, or any dairy, in my version. The flavor of this Caesar is definitely superior to the store bought versions that I’ve tried. In my opinion those often lack in the texture and flavor-punch department.
Rather than oil, I use mayonnaise as the base for this Vegan Caesar. Depending on how heavy the salad is that I’m dressing (or just my mood), I like to substitute a portion of the mayo for vegan unflavored, unsweetened yogurt. This lightens the dressing up without sacrificing any flavor or creaminess.
Capers are the magic ingredient in this recipe. Capers are often used when cooking seafood in non-vegan cuisine. They make a great stand in when you need a little “seafood” flavor, think crab-less cakes or mushroom scallops. Before going vegan I would often buy a jar of capers, use a teaspoon or two and then find the jar 8 months later shoved to the back of the fridge. Lately I’ve realized I was sleeping on these little flavor bombs and have been using them more and more in my cooking.
This Vegan Caesar Dressing is the perfect compliment to a classic Caesar salad or any tasty variation of salad, bowl or wrap you come up with!
Looking for more staple vegan salad dressings? Give these a try :
Vegan Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vegan Mayonnaise try subbing 1/2 cup of unsweetened, unflavored vegan yogurt for 1/2 cup of the mayo for a lighter dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Horseradish
- 1 tsp Capers finely chopped
- 1 tsp Caper Brine
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl
- Whisk until combined
- Adjust salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste
[…] crispy and crunchy, so flavorful, cheesy, slightly spicy and peppery then tossed in the creamiest Caesar Dressing. This is one of my all-time favorite […]