Let's be honest, working with dairy-alternatives can be frustrating. We turned to our old friend the cashew for this salad solution. We added in lots of rich umami flavor from nutritional yeast and chia seeds. Capers and Himalayan Pink salt round it all out. This recipe is a keeper for both vegan and non-vegans alike. And y'all, those croutons!
Ingredients for Vegan Casear Salad:
For the Salad:
4 cups Romaine Lettuce torn in bite-sized pieces, rinsed and patted completely dry
For the Vegan Caesar Dressing:
⅓ cup raw cashews, soaked for 3-4 hours in advance and then drained
2 Tbl Nutritional Yeast (plus more to taste)
1 tsp whole chia seeds
½Himalayan Pink salt
½ tsp kelp granules (see notes)
½ tsp capers
1 medium clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓−½ cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
2 Tbl lemon juice
1½ tsp pure maple syrup
For the Croutons:
2 cups cubed bread
2 TblGarlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbl Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tspHimalayan Salt
Instructions for Vegan Casear Salad:
For the dressing:
Combine the soaked cashews, Nutritional Yeast, chia, salt, kelp granules, capers, garlic, pepper, almond milk, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a blender, and purée until very smooth. Add more nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor. Adjust to taste with extra salt and pepper.
For the Croutons:
In a large bowl, toss the bread pieces with the Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Nutritional Yeast and Himalayan Salt. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and toast the bread in batches until golden brown on all sides. Set aside
To make the salad:
Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Ladle in the dressing a bit at a time and use tongs to toss the lettuce. Add enough dressing to coat the leaves. Top the salad with the croutons. Sprinkle on extra Nutritional Yeast and freshly ground black pepper.
Do you use dairy-alternative products? What's been your experience? Let us know in the comments!
