Vegan Caesar Salad

This Vegan Caesar Salad recipe is fresher and tastier than the classic version made with clean ingredients and tons of zesty flavor! Fresh kale is massaged with homemade vegan Caesar dressing and topped with crispy chickpeas for a delicious and nutritious main dish or side.

This recipe was written on March 18, 2020. It was updated with additional recipe information on May 30, 2024.

If you’re looking for a fun way to enjoy veggies, this vegan kale Caesar salad is a great way to excite your taste buds and get your greens! I promise you this salad is anything but boring. 

If you’re wondering, “Wait, is Caesar salad vegan?” Rest assured, this recipe is 100% plant-based! The freshly made creamy vegan Caesar dressing is the star of the show—a tangy and irresistible combination of sunflower seeds, garlic, cheesy nutritional yeast, salty capers, and a few other common pantry staples. 

The dressing is massaged onto fresh kale for optimal flavor and paired with crisp romaine lettuce and spiced crispy chickpeas for a bold and satisfying entree or side salad. Enjoy vegan Caesar for a light lunch or serve with Italian-style dishes to impress your guests at your next dinner party. 

For more vegan salad recipes, try my Nicoise salad, Mediterranean pasta salad, or roasted beet and potato salad.

Ingredients

Raw Sunflower Seeds: These nutrient-rich seeds provide a creamy base for the dressing. Soak them overnight before blending for the smoothest texture. Alternatively, you can use raw cashews or almonds. 

Garlic: Adds a pungent, savory flavor to the easy vegan Caesar dressing. Choose fresh, firm bulbs for the best taste, or use pre-minced store-bought garlic for easier preparation. 

Nutritional Yeast: This ingredient gives the vegetarian Caesar salad a cheesy, umami flavor that mimics the taste of Parmesan cheese in the traditional dressing. You can find it in the health food aisle of the grocery store. 

Capers: These small, briny buds add a tangy and savory flavor to the dressing, eliminating the need for anchovies. Choose capers packed in brine for the best flavor, and rinse them before adding them to remove excess saltiness. Alternatively, you can use chopped green olives.

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: This sauce, with a blend of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, provides depth of flavor and tasty complexity to the dressing. Choose a vegan version to keep this recipe plant-based. Look for this at Whole Foods, Kroger stores, or online.

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the dressing a bright acidity that balances the other flavors. You can use store-bought lemon juice in a pinch, but fresh is best. 

Tamari Sauce: Adds a savory salty flavor to the dressing. Choose a low-sodium sauce to better control the saltiness of the dressing. Alternatively, you can substitute regular soy sauce or coconut aminos. 

Dijon Mustard: Helps emulsify the dressing and adds a hint of tang and pepper. Alternatively, you can use stone-ground mustard for a milder flavor and grainier texture. 

Black Pepper: If possible, grind black peppercorns with a pepper mill for the most robust flavor, or use pre-ground black pepper for easier prep. Adjust to taste as needed. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Gives the dressing a rich silkiness. Choose a high-quality cold-pressed olive oil for the best flavor. Alternatively, you can use avocado oil for a milder flavor and similar texture. 

Kale: Choose your favorite sturdy leaf kale, such as curly or lacinato. Make sure to properly wash the leaves and remove the stems before slicing them into smaller pieces. Alternatively, you can swap for spinach, arugula, or another green.

Romaine Lettuce: Gives the salad a crisp, refreshing texture. Alternatively, you can use iceberg lettuce or shredded cabbage for a similar texture, or spring mix for a combination of lettuces. 

Crispy Chickpeas: My recipe for spiced crispy chickpeas is easy to make in a few minutes and elevates the salad’s taste, texture, and presentation. Alternatively, you can use store-bought crunchy chickpeas.

How to Make Vegan Caesar Salad

• Roast the Chickpeas. Following my recipe, make freshly roasted crunchy chickpeas for this salad. Let the chickpeas cool to the touch before adding them to the salads. 

• Prepare Dressing. Place the soaked and drained sunflower seeds, garlic, nutritional yeast, capers, vegan Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, tamari sauce, mustard, pepper, and 1/4 cup of water in a blender or food processor. Blend the mixture until creamy.
• Add Oil. Remove the plug or cap from the blender lid or the spout from the food processor and slowly pour in the oil while the blender runs. Blend until smooth.

Prepare Kale. Place just the sliced kale in a large salad bowl. Using clean hands, pour about half of the dressing onto the kale and massage until the kale is tender and bright green, for about 2 minutes.

• Add Romaine. Add the romaine lettuce to the salad bowl and a few more spoonfuls of dressing. Gently toss with salad tongs to coat.

• Garnish. Top the salad with the cooled crispy chickpeas and serve!

Recipe Pro-Tips

• Soak sunflower seeds. It is important to soak the sunflower seeds overnight or at least for a few hours before blending for the smoothest dressing texture. This helps soften them and makes it easier to blend into a creamy dressing. To speed up the softening process, soak the sunflower seeds with boiling water for 20 minutes.
• Thoroughly massage the kale. Don’t skip this step! Massaging the kale with some dressing helps tenderize the leaves, reducing the bitterness and making it easier to eat and digest for the best vegan Caesar salad dining experience.
• Adjust seasonings to taste. Taste the dressing as you go and adjust the seasonings to your liking before adding it to the greens. Add whatever you want to enhance the flavor as desired, including more garlic, lemon juice, capers, or mustard. 
• Chill the dressing. For the best vegan salad, chill the dressing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before tossing if you have the time. This allows the flavors to fuse and enhances the overall taste. 
• Double the recipe. Easily double or triple this crispy chickpea Caesar salad recipe to serve a crowd! It’s perfect for dinner parties. 
• Make extra dressing. The easy vegan Caesar dressing will keep stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Double the batch to have on hand for future salads or enjoy as a veggie dip!

Serving Suggestions

A hearty serving of this salad makes a great stand-alone main dish for lunch or dinner. The vegan Caesar dressing recipe is also a delicious dip for veggies or to drizzle on bowls, sandwiches, or wraps! Or serve as a side salad with some of our favorite recipes below.

• Butternut Squash Swiss Chard Lasagna
• Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
• Sourdough Pizza

Storage Directions

I recommend storing leftover greens, chickpeas, and dressing separately, and assembling the salads before serving for the best texture so the lettuce doesn’t wilt. 

Leftover salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Shake or stir well before using. The salad mixture is best in an airtight container or reusable salad storage bag for up to 3 days, and the leftover spiced crispy chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Salad Recipes

• Chickpea Tuna Salad
• Black Eyed Pea Salad
• Watermelon Peach Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
• Beet Fennel Salad
• Mango Guacamole Salad

For more easy vegan recipes, check out my cookbook.

Recipe Card

Want to eat more salad? Check out my blog post on how to make a salad amazing!