This is the best vegan Ceasar dressing! It is thick, creamy, and oil-free! I love putting this dressing on almost all of my salads and it even tastes great in a Ceasar salad wrap.
If you are a salad lover, then you need to try this vegan oil-free salad dressing recipe. Much like traditional Ceasar dressing, this vegan alternative is incredibly creamy and full of flavor. Usually, Ceasar dressing is made out of non-vegan ingredients like egg and anchovies. For vegans and vegetarians, cashews and nutritional yeast pick up the slack for a lot of creamy/cheesy recipes. Made with cashews for a creamy salad dressing that’s full of bright, savory flavor. This is a perfect vegan salad dressing.
How to Make Vegan Ceasar Dressing
The first step to making this vegan Ceasar dressing is to soak your cashews. If you are a planner or can remember, soak your cashews overnight in water. This allows the cashews to get soft and makes for a creamier and smoother dressing consistency. If you’re like me, and never remember to pre-prep a recipe, then you can soak your cashews in hot boiling water for about 10 minutes. I haven’t noticed much of a difference from using the boiling water soaking method.
Once the cashews have soaked, drain them and pour them into a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 5 minutes or until thick and creamy.
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a food processor or coffee grinder. The consistency might be a little grainy if using a food processor but the flavor is still amazing! Or you could add in a few tablespoons of water but the consistency will be a bit runny.
It sounds funny, but a coffee grinder I find creates the best and smoothest dressing. It is a little tedious to make because you need to add the ingredients in batches but it is worth it for the best consistency.
2nd Nut-Free Option
For a nut-free alternative to this Ceasar dressing, all you need to do is swap out the 1/2 cup of cashews for 1/2 cup of great northern beans. You still get the delicious Ceasar flavor but without the richness.
Making the dressing with beans instead of nuts greatly lowers the calorie density and fat content. If you’re following Dr. McDouglas’s maximum weight loss protocol, then I would recommend making the dressing this way. Still delicious and satisfies that creamy dressing craving.
Vegan Ceasar Dressing
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews sub great northern beans
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar sub lemon juice
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Pour boiling water over the cashews and let it sit for 10 minutes. This allows the cashews to soften. If you have time, soak the cashews overnight.
- In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredents and blend until smooth. If your blender is getting stuck or not blending well, add in a few splashes of water at a time until smooth.
- Store in a jar or an air-tight container, and enjoy all week.
