The Best Vegan Caesar Salad Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

This is one of those salad recipes that I start making as soon as it starts getting a little warmer, and I seriously can’t stop. The truth is, my husband Tony has no idea that it’s vegan, he just gobbles it up every single time.

Since we aren’t vegan, we usually we’ll pair this vegan caesar salad with my honey mustard chicken or one of my many salmon recipes, but you’re welcome to serve it however you’d like. I’ve also recently been adding sliced cherry or grape tomatoes + sliced Persian cucumbers to make it go a bit further and highly recommend. Either way, I hope you love this recipe!

What’s in a caesar salad?

Traditional caesar salads are super simple and made with a base of romaine lettuce topped with croutons, parmesan cheese, black pepper and caesar dressing. Classic caesar salad dressings have lemon juice, oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic & dijon mustard.

In this recipe, we’re going vegan and dairy free by using a tahini-based vegan caesar dressing, plus a fun twist on traditional croutons.

Everything you’ll need to make this vegan caesar salad

The best part about caesar salads? They use up minimal ingredients but are bursting with flavor! This makes them the perfect side dish or main to serve with pretty much anything. Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegan caesar salad:

Dressing: we’re using my delicious vegan caesar dressing made with tahini. Get ready to fall in love.
Lettuce: I like to use super crisp romaine lettuce to give the salad that fresh crunch.
Chickpeas: add some roasted chickpeas for a little flavor, protein, and texture! I love this brand or you can make a homemade version and use your own seasonings!
Avocado: a little avocado helps to round out the whole salad. Love that creaminess and boost of healthy fats. Totally optional but delicious.
Extra salt and pepper: it’s critical that your vegan caesar salad be salty enough to taste like a caesar salad, so don’t be afraid to add some extra salt and pepper!

Customize this vegan caesar salad

While this salad is delicious on its own, it also makes the perfect base for your fav add-ins. Here are some ideas for jazzing it up:

Choose your greens. I love using crunchy romaine lettuce, but kale would also be delicious in this vegan caesar salad. Just be sure to massage the kale well with all of that dressing.
Cheese it up. Add ¼ cup parmesan or sub a dairy free parmesan on top. We love this recipe for vegan parm!
Add more veggies. This salad would be delicious with the addition of halved cherry/grape tomatoes and sliced persian cucumbers, too.
Swap your protein. If you aren’t vegan, this salad is delicious served with grilled chopped buffalo or even pulled BBQ chicken.
Pasta party. Make a vegan caesar pasta salad by adding some cooked elbow, bowtie or cavatappi noodles!

Vegan caesar salad in 3 easy steps

Make the dressing. Mix up all the ingredients for that delicious vegan caesar salad dressing. This can be done a few days ahead of time!
Toss the lettuce. Give that romaine lettuce a good toss with the dressing so that it’s evenly coated.
Top & serve. Add the crispy chickpeas, avocado, and any additional toppings you’d like, drizzle with more dressing and serve.

Serving tips

This vegan caesar salad is great for entertaining or meal prep, which means there are a couple of beautiful ways to serve it!

On a platter. Use a pretty platter and arrange your lettuce, avocado and chickpeas for presentation. Great for serving guests.
In a bowl. Keep it simple by serving the salad in a big salad bowl for date nights, family dinner and meal prep.

Recipes to serve with vegan caesar salad

This salad is truly the perfect, light side dish for any meal! Here are some great recipes to serve it with:

Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Spaghetti
Date Night In Cilantro Pistachio Pesto Shrimp Pasta
The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy Garlic Cashew Sauce
Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Juicy Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce with Burrata
Sweet Potato Cheddar BBQ Chicken Burgers
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
One Pan Tomato Basil Baked Orzo

How to store

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Recommended tools for this recipe

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More salad recipes you’ll love

California Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad
Damn Good BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Jalapeño Cashew Dressing
Spicy Cashew Thai Chickpea Broccoli Salad
Avocado Blueberry Quinoa Salad

Get all of our amazing salad recipes here!

I hope you love this vegan caesar salad recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

The Best Vegan Caesar Salad Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (8)

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Vegan Caesar Salad

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Ingredients

3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped (about 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce)
1 ½ cups roasted chickpeas (we love Biena ranch flavored roasted chickpeas!)*
1 batch vegan caesar dressing
Optional: 1 avocado, sliced

Instructions

First make your vegan caesar dressing and set aside.
Next, you can choose to serve this on a platter or in a bowl. Platters are pretty for entertaining or serving guests and bowls are great for date nights, family dinner and meal prep.
Toss the chopped romaine with the dressing until well coated, leaving a little dressing for drizzling on top when done. Sprinkle chickpeas generously on top, adding more if you’d like additional crunch. Drizzle with a little more dressing, then serve! Serves 4-6 depending on if you are serving as a main or a side. Feel free to add avocado to the salad as well!

Recipe Notes

To store: store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

We love using these ranch flavored roasted chickpeas for extra flavor and crunch!

Optional if not vegan:

Add ¼ cup parm or sub a dairy free parm on top. We love this recipe for vegan parm!
This salad would be delicious with the addition of halved cherry or grape tomatoes and sliced persian cucumbers, too. YUM.
If you aren’t vegan, this salad is delicious served with grilled chopped buffalo, honey mustard or bbq chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (with avocado)Calories: 379calCarbohydrates: 35.5gProtein: 12.3gFat: 23.7gSaturated Fat: 2.8gFiber: 8.9gSugar: 4.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on March 18th, 2021, and republished on March 3rd, 2024.