This vegan Caesar dressing recipe is high in protein from tofu and cashews. This recipe satisfies even the most critical non-vegans with its rich, creamy texture and amazing flavor that perfectly resembles a “regular” Caesar dressing!
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Protein Salad Dressing
Opting for a high protein salad dressing isn’t a common consideration but this vegan Caesar dressing is naturally quite high in protein!
Using tofu, cashews, hemp seeds and soy milk, there’s plenty of plant-based protein to go around. This makes for a tasty and filling side dish or meal.
A huge plate of salad is often not the most filling or satiating option but when you load up on a nutritious and high protein dressing, you can easily enjoy a satisfying Caesar salad as your main meal.
Beyond being high in protein, this dressing is also packed with healthy fats from the tofu, cashews and hemp seeds. Not to mention you also get a bit of fibre in your salad dressing.
High Protein Vegan Salad
This recipe is specifically for Caesar salad dressing but of course, you’ll probably want to make this into a delicious vegan Caesar salad!
For that you need a couple extra ingredients:
- Romaine lettuce (or any leafy green!)
- Bacon bits
- Croutons
- Parmesan cheese
I’m a huge fan of Romaine lettuce but this dressing recipe can easily be tossed onto any leafy green you like. Why not try for a vegan kale Caesar salad?!
I make bacon bits from crumbled tofu which creates a delicious, crunchy and healthy bacon bit!
Croutons are optional. Where I live, there are very few vegan crouton options at the store and I often don’t want to take the time and make some myself.
Instead, I opt to top my vegan Caesar salad with barbecue chickpeas! Adding chickpeas is yet another source of protein and fibre plus you’ll get some delicious carbohydrates for energy.
To make barbecue chickpeas simply drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, toss in your favourite barbecue sauce and cook (stove-top in a pan or bake in the oven) until the barbecue sauce is nicely sticking to the chickpeas.
Barbecue chickpeas on a vegan Caesar salad bring in all the tasty flavors of a barbecue chicken Caesar salad! The end result is a delicious high protein salad!
Check out my recipe for vegan spinach salad to learn about even more ways to create a high protein vegan salad!
Lastly, a good Caesar salad needs to be topped with Parmesan. I always keep some vegan Parmesan in the fridge which is another high-protein recipe packed with nutrition.
How to Serve Vegan Caesar Dressing
As noted above, this vegan Caesar dressing is ideal for making a delicious vegan salad that can be a meal or side dish.
But there are countless other ways to use this dressing recipe. Some of my favourites are:
- Drizzled on top of pizza
- As a dip for vegetables or cauliflower bites
- To create vegan Caesar salad wraps (with BBQ chickpeas of course!)
- As a pasta sauce (just toss with your favourite pasta and some veggies)
- In a sandwich, wrap or burger (great replacement for mayo or garlic aioli)
This dressing freezes well too! Just place into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. I often make a double batch so I can freeze some for later. It’s easy to thaw out in the fridge overnight.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for an easy vegan Caesar dressing that is healthy and protein-packed with tofu and cashews. Let me know how yours turns out and if you share on social media, tag me @lettucevegout because I love seeing your creations!
Vegan Caesar Dressing Recipe with Tofu and Cashews (High Protein)
Equipment
- Jar(s)
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ C cashews soaked
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp salt (more to taste)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (can sub for 1/2 tsp soy sauce + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar)
- ¾ C soy milk
- ¼ block firm tofu
Instructions
- Soak the cashew in water overnight in the fridge, or in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain away the water.
- Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. You will need to scrape the edges of the blender down as you go to make sure everything gets incorporated.
- Store in an air tight jar or container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is an updated post: Original post date August 2017.
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