Vegan Caesar Dressing

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This vegan Caesar dressing takes all of 5 minutes to make, but it turns out incredibly creamy, garlicky, and zesty! Made with a base of cashews, it makes the perfect plant-based replacement for traditional recipes. Serve it on salad greens, with roasted veggies, and more!

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick: After soaking the cashews, just throw everything in your blender and watch as it comes together!
• Diet-friendly: This dressing can feed a versatile crowd since it’s dairy-free, egg-free, meat-free, and can easily be made oil-free.
• Healthy: This cashew Caesar dressing contains a plethora of heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, and minerals. And since there are no eggs or anchovies, it also happens to be saturated fat and cholesterol-free!
• Multipurpose: Serve it on salad, as a dip for roasted vegetables, in wraps, on pizza, and more. There are so many options!

If you’re a fan of vegan Caesar salad dressing, you should really check out our creamy balsamic dressing, lemon tahini dressing, and vegan ranch dressing.

🍋 What is Caesar dressing?

Caesar dressing is one of the most popular salad dressings in the west. A typical recipe is made from anchovies, egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon, and Parmesan cheese.

It’s a zesty, garlicky, and umami-rich sauce that’s typically paired with romaine lettuce, croutons, and more Parmesan. If you’re like us and would prefer a sauce without raw eggs and fish added in, this vegan Caesar dressing recipe is the solution!

🌱 Can you make Caesar dressing vegan?

While vegan Caesar dressing can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, this is our favorite version! With a few simple plant-based ingredients, the final result turns out rich, creamy, and punchy. Here’s how we do it:

• Cashews: Cashews provide a creamy texture and lend a touch of sweetness.
• Capers: Added to impart a briny and tangy element, emulating anchovies. 
• Nutritional yeast: This umami-rich ingredient mimics the cheesiness of Parmesan.

In the end, it isn’t an exact match to the original, and how could it be? But, you’ll definitely be pleasantly surprised with how similar it tastes!

📜 History

Caesar dressing, and more generally Caesar salad, was originally created in Tijuana, Mexico. An Italian chef, Cesare (‘Caesar’) Cardini, is credited with the invention of this infamous dish.

In fact, it’s been on the menu of Caesar’s Restaurante-Bar since 1927, and it’s still served there to this day!

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Cashews: For the most neutral flavor, use raw cashews. It’s also important to soak them until they are easily split apart, especially if you don’t have a high-speed blender. No cashews? Try sunflower seeds instead.
• Dijon: Adds a tangy kick that Caesar dressing is known for! Choose smooth Dijon for the best consistency and taste.
• Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice and the zest for fresh, tart, and bright notes that balance the richness of the cashews. Apple cider vinegar will also work. 
• Garlic: The key to a perfect Caesar dressing is achieving the right amount of punch that fresh garlic provides. You can replace it with garlic powder in a pinch, but we highly recommend sticking with fresh cloves.
• Capers: The immature, unripened green flower of a caper bush, capers offer a unique tangy, briny element that replaces anchovies. Don’t skip them!
• Maple syrup: To balance the tang and punchiness, we prefer maple syrup. If you don’t have any on hand, substitute it with agave or cane sugar.
• Olive oil: Although optional, we feel it makes a difference in overall flavor. Use quality extra-virgin olive oil here.
• Water: To thin the dressing as needed.
• Nutritional yeast: You’ll be able to find nutritional yeast at most bulk food stores or online. White miso paste, tamari, or vegan Worchestershire will also work.
• Salt & pepper: To let the other flavors pop and add a slight kick.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan Caesar dressing

Step 1: Soak the cashews

Soak the cashews overnight in room-temperature water. If you forget, quick-soak them in hot water for 30-60 minutes.

Step 2: Blend the dressing

When the cashews are easily split, drain them and add them to your blender. Add the rest of the ingredients, and blend on high for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides throughout.

Step 3: Adjust the seasonings

Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed — lemon and capers for more tang, garlic and Dijon for more punch, or maple syrup to balance the tang and spice. Happy eating!

If you have questions about making this cashew Caesar dressing, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥗 How to use vegan Caesar dressing

Once it’s blended, serve this vegan Caesar dressing on or beside salads and vegetable-forward dishes like these:

• Kale Caesar salad: A nutrient-dense twist on traditional Caesar salad.
• Dip: Serve it alongside veggie sticks, air fryer green beans, potato wedges, vegan pizza, or buffalo cauliflower wings.
• Macaroni & potato salad: Replace mayo-based dressings with vegan Caesar dressing for a zesty twist on your favorite macaroni salad and potato salad recipes.
• Pizza: Replace red pizza sauce with this creamy dressing as a pizza base.
• Chicken Caesar wraps: Whip up some vegan fried chicken, then serve it in wraps with lettuce, vegan Parmesan cheese, croutons, and vegan Caesar salad dressing.

🌡️ Storage

Vegan Caesar dressing is a great flavor enhancer to keep on hand all week long! Just follow these storage tips to get the most out of it:

• Fridge: Once mixed, cashew Caesar dressing will last for up to 6-7 days in the fridge. We prefer storing it in a glass mason jar with an airtight lid to lock in the flavors best. It thickens as it sits in the fridge, so add a touch of water (or lemon juice) and give it a stir before serving. 
• Freezer: This dressing can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it again, thaw it in the fridge overnight. As with the above method, you may need some water or lemon juice to thin it out.

♻️ Variations

• Spicy: For a slightly spicy version,  add some cayenne powder, smoked paprika, or a teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce.
• Nut-free: Instead of cashews, try tahini, sunflower seeds, vegan mayo, or silken tofu instead.
• Add brine: For added briny flavors, include a few teaspoons of olive or caper brine.
• Oil-free: If you’d prefer an oil-free Caesar dressing, omit the olive oil completely. You may need to add a little more water or brine in its place.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Raw cashews: Don’t forget to use raw cashews, not roasted or roasted and salted. Raw cashews carry a mild, neutral flavor that doesn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients in this recipe.
• High-speed blender: For the smoothest, creamiest dressing texture, use a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec. If you don’t have one, the cashews really need to soak in water for at least 3-4 hours prior to blending.
• Fresh lemon: Make sure to use fresh lemon juice in this recipe. Don’t use bottled lemon juice from concentrate as it won’t be quite the same!

💬 FAQ

🍴 More sauce recipes

If you enjoyed this vegan Caesar dressing recipe, be sure to check out some more sauces like the following:

• Spicy Chili Garlic Aioli: Rich plant-based sauce with a hint of spice.
• Vegan Pesto: Cashew-based pesto that’s completely dairy-free.
• Vegan Tartar Sauce: Chunky, creamy, and tangy vegan tartar sauce. 
• Vegan Tzatziki: Light, cooling, and refreshing plant-based tzatziki.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.