This 5-minute Vegan Caesar Dressing blends cashews and savory seasonings together to give you the perfect dressing for your vegan caesar salads. It’s completely free of eggs, anchovies, and dairy, but is just as addictive as the classic!
Who says you need eggs and anchovies to make a really great caesar dressing? This easy Vegan Caesar Dressing is a game-changer, as it blends cashews, oil, lemon, garlic, and nutritional yeast together to make a dressing that’s just as good as the classic.
Drizzle it over your vegan caesar salad topped with vegan parmesan and croutons, and enjoy!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love it
Classic caesar dressing is, unfortunately, not vegan-friendly because it’s made with raw egg yolks and anchovies. These give the dressing a distinct richness and briny, tangy flavor that make it a wonderful partner to hearty and comforting salads.
If these ingredients make you feel icky or you’re simply looking for an egg and anchovy-free caesar dressing, you’ve come to the right place!
My vegan caesar dressing recipe replaces the raw eggs and anchovies with cashews, oil, lemon juice, and a few savory seasonings. After blending these simple ingredients together, you’re left with a dressing that’s just as tangy, rich, and addictive as the classic.
Enjoy your creamy cashew caesar dressing with vegan and vegetarian caesar salads, vegan caesar wraps, chickpea salad, potato salad, and much more. The serving options are endless!
Ingredients needed
- Raw cashews – Cashews blended with water (AKA cashew cream) act as the rich and creamy base of the caesar dressing. Avoid using roasted and salted cashews, as they’ll affect the overall flavor.
- Water – You need water to thin the dressing.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Without this, your dressing won’t be as emulsified and cohesive.
- Fresh lemon juice – Squeeze the juice from the lemons yourself if you can! The flavor is superior to the bottled stuff.
- Nutritional yeast – This cheesy-tasting seasoning gives the dressing an undeniable savory flavor. Try not to skip it.
- Garlic – Use fresh cloves.
- Salt and black pepper
How to make vegan caesar salad dressing
Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until the dressing is very smooth and no gritty cashew pieces remain. Adjust the taste and thin the consistency with water as needed.
Use your homemade caesar dressing right away or store it in the fridge for later. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Soaking the cashews is an optional step but can help speed up the blending time (especially if you’re making it in a regular blender). Either let them soak in water overnight or soak them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes instead.
- I highly recommend making the dressing in a high-powered blender or food processor. They’re so powerful and make smooth sauces and dressings in no time! If you don’t have a high-powered blender, just use a regular blender and blend for longer.
Variations
- Instead of cashews – Blanched almond pieces should work just as well as cashews here.
- Nut free – I have only tested this with cashews but sunflower seeds may work as a nut free alternative. The flavor will be a bit different but still tasty. Alternatively, use vegan mayonnaise instead of the nuts and water.
- Make it extra tangy – Blending in a spoonful of jarred capers or Dijon mustard will add a nice tangy flavor to the dressing.
- Thicken the dressing – Blend in a few extra cashews or use less water if you like a thicker and richer consistency.
Serving suggestions
This dressing was made to be paired with my Vegan Caesar Salad, Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad or Kale Caesar Salad topped with Homemade Croutons, vegan parmesan cheese, and Crispy Fried Capers. Talk about an epic vegan caesar salad!
Otherwise, you can serve it with all kinds of other salads, such as:
Looking for more ways to use it? Check out these delicious ideas:
- Use it as a dipping sauce for crudites, cauliflower wings, or vegan pizza.
- Drizzle it over roasted vegetables or baked potatoes.
- Swap the tomato sauce for caesar dressing on a homemade vegan pizza.
- Spread it on burgers, wraps, and sandwiches.
Storing
Refrigerate the blended cashew caesar dressing in an airtight container or a glass jar sealed with a lid for up to 5 days. It will thicken slightly as it chills, so remember to give it a good stir or thin it with another splash of water before serving.
More homemade salad dressings
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new!
Tahini Dressing
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new!
Creamy Feta Dressing
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new!
Green Goddess Dip
Did you make this vegan caesar dressing recipe?
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Full Recipe
Vegan Caesar Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cashews (raw)
- 1/4 cup water (plus additional as needed to thin dressing to desired consistency)
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic (smashed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all dressing ingredients in high-powered blender or food processor and process until very smooth, taking the time to scrape down the sides of your container as needed. Add up to 4 tablespoons additional water to achieve your desired consistency.
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