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This vegan caesar dressing truly tastes just like the traditional version, and I’m not exaggerating! It’s rich, savory, and packed with umami, with no cashews, anchovies, or eggs required. Plus, it’s ready in just 5 minutes, making it perfect for caesar salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Caesar Dressing
If you’re on the hunt for a really good vegan salad dressing this is the recipe for you! I love this recipe because it uses simple ingredients and doesn’t require soaking or blending cashews. Just stir everything together, and it’s ready to use!
Ingredients
Ingredient Highlights & Swaps
This plant-based caesar dressing uses a few key simple ingredients that replicate that distinctive caesar dressing flavor. Below are the main ingredients for this dressing:
Capers
Capers are a great substitute for the anchovies that are in traditional caesar dressing. And they’re thankfully vegetarian-friendly. They’re stored in a salty brine and have an amazing olive or lemony flavor.
The capers add a briny flavor similar to anchovies, so I don’t recommend subbing them out. I haven’t tried this particular substitution, but you could try using miso paste or green olive brine (like I use with my vegan feta) instead if you can’t find capers.
Vegan Worcestershire
Did you know regular Worcestershire Sauce typically has anchovies in it!? Luckily there are many vegetarian and vegan friendly brands like Annie’s or Whole Foods 365 Brand!
Vegan Mayo
To keep this recipe egg-free we’re using a plant-based mayo like Hellman’s Vegan Mayo.
If you want to make a caesar dressing without anchovies and mayo, you can swap in dairy-free plain, unsweetened yogurt instead. (Or you can swap half the mayo for vegan yogurt – I do this often to lighten the dressing up). That being said, the mayo adds a lot of flavor to the dressing. More salt, garlic, or mustard may need to be added to taste if using yogurt.
Dairy-free Parmesan
I’m using a vegan parmesan like Violife to keep this recipe dairy free.
Traditional caesar dressing gets a lot of its flavor from parmesan cheese. It adds SO much flavor to the dressing and really don’t recommend leaving it out.
Dijon Mustard
A little Dijon mustard goes a long way in terms of flavor. This can be substituted for dried mustard powder or regular yellow mustard.
How To make easy Vegan caesar dressing
All you need is 1 bowl and 5 minutes!
Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl.
Mix until smooth. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container or a sealable Mason Jar.
After mixing, just place the dressing in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to develop. You can use it right away too but the flavor is better if left to sit in the fridge for a little bit!
To Make A Caesar Salad + Serving Ideas
Once ready, you can toss chopped romaine or kale with the creamy dressing, top everything off with fresh cracked black pepper, croutons and avocado chunks. You can also add a drizzle of olive oil on top for more flavor.
I also love serving this salad with slices of vegan chicken breast. If you’re vegetarian you can still have plant-based ‘chicken’ caesar salads thanks to this vegan chicken recipe.
And there you go, it’s ready to serve and enjoy! If you have leftovers, you can store the dressing covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
FAQ
This vegetarian and vegan caesar dressing uses capers, lemons, and vegan Worcestershire to replicate the anchovy flavor found in traditional caesar dressings.
A lot of the flavor comes from the vegan mayo. Vegan mayo can be substituted with a 1:1 ratio with regular mayo. I don’t recommend substituting anything for the vegan mayo in the recipe. However, there are many other recipes that use cashews as the base of the dressing. I’ve found that vegan mayo provides a more authentic ‘caesar’ flavor.
When I want to make a slightly healthier version of this dressing, I will substitute 1/2 of the vegan mayo for dairy-free plain unsweetened yogurt.
More Sauces & Dressings
Very Best Vegan Caesar Dressing
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 1 clove fresh garlic, grated
- 1 tsp capers, minced if not using a blender
- 1 tsp brine from the jar of capers
- 1 cup Hellman’s vegan mayo, see notes for substitutions
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, like Annie’s or 365 Brand
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard, or yellow mustard
- ¼ tsp table salt, to taste
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup finely grated dairy-free parmesan, like Violife
Instructions
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, finely mince the capers and mix all the dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Cover the bowl or transfer to an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to develop. Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To make a salad: Follow the instructions of this caesar salad recipe.
Recipe notes
- Vegan Mayo Substitute: This recipe uses a mayonnaise base, but if you want to make a caesar dressing without anchovies and mayo, you can use dairy-free plain, unsweetened yogurt instead. However, the mayo adds a lot of flavor to the dressing. More salt, garlic, or mustard may need to be added to taste if using yogurt.
- Vegan Worcestershire: Did you know regular Worcestershire Sauces typically have anchovies in them!? Luckily there are many vegetarian and vegan friendly brands like Annie’s!
- Caper Substitute: The capers add a briny flavor similar to anchovies, so I don’t recommend subbing them out. I haven’t tried this particular substitution, but you could try using miso paste instead if you can’t find capers. Miso will add an umami, salty flavor but it doesn’t have the same briny flavor as capers.
- Vegan Parm: I don’t recommend skipping this as it really helps this dressing taste identical to non-vegan versions.
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