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This crowd-pleasing vegan caesar salad is packed with protein since it’s topped with homemade baked vegan “chicken”. I love this salad because it’s super simple to make, tastes just like the non-vegan version, and is light yet filling enough to eat for dinner on a warm summer night.
What Makes This Salad Special
No side salads here! This recipe makes a Caesar salad that is hearty enough to eat as dinner.
The homemade dressing is packed with savory, tangy flavor, while the sliced vegan chicken turns it into a complete meal. It’s also easy to customize and can be partially prepped ahead for quick lunches or dinners.
Ingredients For The Salad
Homemade Vegan Caesar Dressing
This plant-based Caesar salad uses my Creamy Vegan Caesar Dressing recipe. This caesar dressing is out of this world flavorful and creamy. It’s made without any cashews, making it more affordable and easy to make (since you don’t need to soak any nuts)!
The capers replace the anchovies that are in traditional caesar dressing. Capers are stored in a salty brine and have an amazing olive or lemony flavor. Other ingredients you’ll need are:
- Romaine Lettuce – or swap kale/green leaf lettuce (see variations below)
- Vegan Parmesan, like Violife
- Croutons
- Lemon
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Homemade Seitan Chicken
Variations
While romaine is the classic choice for Caesar salad, I’ve recently been using greenhouse-grown green leaf lettuce, lacinato kale, or a combination of the two.
Lacinato kale, also called Tuscan kale, is a great option if you want to prepare the salad ahead of time because it holds up well after being dressed. Remove the tough stems, chop the leaves, and massage them with a small amount of Caesar dressing or olive oil until they soften and turn a deeper green.
Green leaf lettuce adds a fresh, delicate crunch but isn’t quite as sturdy as romaine. If you use it, wait to add the dressing until right before serving to prevent the leaves from becoming wilted. For the version shown in some of these photos, I used a mixture of green leaf lettuce and kale for a balance of tender and crunchy textures.
How To Make Vegan Caesar Salad
Easy to make with just a few simple steps!
Prep the dressing according to the instructions in this recipe.
Stir the dressing until smooth. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
If using kale, massage a bit of dressing into the chopped leaves until wilted and tender.
Drizzle on 2-3 tbsp of the caesar dressing at a time until the salad has the desired amount of dressing for your taste. Toss the croutons, black pepper, and vegan parm into the lettuce when ready to serve.
Serving Tips & Ideas
I especially love serving this salad with my baked vegan chicken to turn it into a filling lunch or dinner. Slice the seitan fillets on the diagonal, then arrange them over the dressed salad just before serving. The chicken can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled, so it’s also a great way to use leftovers.
For wraps or sandwiches, chop the lettuce into smaller pieces and toss it with just enough dressing to coat. You can add the sliced vegan chicken, croutons, and vegan Parmesan, then roll everything into a large tortilla (or close up the bun).
FAQ
While I’m using romaine in this salad, you could definitely substitute other lettuces or leafy greens if you want to! You could make this into a vegan kale caesar salad by substituting in 1 for 1 kale for romaine. If doing so, be sure to gently massage the kale with the caesar dressing to help tenderize the greens.
Yes, you can use your favorite store-bought dressing. However, for the best taste I recommend making my homemade vegan caesar dressing.
More Vegan ‘Chicken’ Recipes
Best Vegan Caesar Salad
Rate this RecipeIngredients
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- 1 clove fresh garlic, grated
- 1 tsp capers, minced
- 1 tsp brine from the jar of capers
- 1 cup Hellman's vegan mayo
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, like Annie’s or 365 Brand
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp fine table salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup finely grated vegan parmesan, like Violife
Caesar Salad
- 8-10 cups chopped romaine, green leaf lettuce, lacinato kale, or use a combination – 8 cups is about 2-3 heads of romaine
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups herbed croutons
- ⅓ cup vegan parmesan, like Violife – grated or shaved
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
- 1 recipe homemade baked vegan chicken, optional but recommended
Instructions
- If adding plant-based chicken, prep it according to this recipe here.
- Roughly chop the romaine hearts, lettuce or kale into ribbons about 2” by ½”. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Drizzle 1-2 tsp of lemon juice on top and toss.If using kale, drizzle with a tablespoon of dressing and massage until softened, then add the other greens (if using).
- Drizzle on 2-3 tbsp of the caesar dressing at a time until the salad has the desired amount of dressing for your taste. Toss the croutons, black pepper, and vegan parmesan into the lettuce when ready to serve. Add any salt to taste.
- Slice the baked vegan chicken on the diagonal and place the slices on top of the salad.
Recipe notes
- This recipe uses my homemade vegan caesar dressing. I highly, highly recommend using this recipe as it has the BEST, most authentic flavor.
- Only toss the lettuce with the dressing and croutons when ready to serve, otherwise, the salad will become soggy.
Did You Make This?
Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!
This salad was delicious! This was my first time making seitan and I was surprised by how spot-on the flavor was and how easy it was to prepare. I felt like it was kind of heavy/ dense, but that could just be me. The dressing was amazing, and I found that the salad only required a half recipe of it. Thanks for a great recipe!