My vegan Caesar dressing has been a staple in my kitchen for almost 10 years. It’s creamy and rich, thanks to soaked cashews and uses clever swaps to mimic a traditional Caesar flavor. I love how quick and easy it is to whip up, making it perfect for meal prep or a last-minute salad upgrade. You’ll be amazed at how delicious and versatile this dressing is!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Vegan and gluten-free dressing. This delicious dressing gives you the garlicky burst of a creamy Caesar dressing without dairy or gluten!
- Easy to make ahead. This recipe comes together in literally five minutes, and will stay in the fridge for up to a week!
- Perfect pairing for salads and sandwiches. This is such a creamy consistency, and goes great on salads (like a traditional vegan Caesar salad, or this Brussels sprouts Caesar) or on sandwiches!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this vegan Caesar salad dressing, you’ll need raw cashews, water, fresh lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, red onion, a garlic clove, salt, and pepper.
Variations & Substitutions
- Raw cashews. Soak it in water for at least two hours to soften before blending for a creamy base.
- Dijon mustard. If you’re out of Dijon mustard, you can substitute with yellow mustard or stone-ground mustard. You can also use a pinch of mustard powder for a milder mustard flavor.
- Add a small amount of miso paste, tamari, or vegan Worcestershire sauce for an umami flavor!
📖 How to make vegan Caesar dressing
Step 1:
In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked cashews, water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped capers, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Step 2:
Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Shruthi’s Top Tip
Don’t skip soaking the cashews! Seriously! I know it’s hard to find two hours sometimes, but it’s crucial for getting a creamy texture. My hack is to soak them overnight, which is even better!
- Adjust the consistency of the dressing. For a thicker dressing, use less water when blending. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired thickness.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results, especially if you don’t have time to soak the cashews overnight. A high powered blender will give you a thick and creamy dressing with almost no effort.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can make dairy-free caesar dressing with 3/4 cup of vegan mayonnaise instead of cashews and water. You can also use silken tofu.
Raw cashews work best for a creamy texture, but you can use roasted in a pinch.
Rinse the capers to remove excess saltiness before adding to the blender.
🍴 How to serve Caesar salad dressing
This creamy vegan Caesar dressing is a versatile sauce that can be paired with a lot of dishes! Three of my favorite, unique ideas for using this dressing are:
- Make Caesar salad – Of course! My favorite is this Brussels Sprouts Caesar salad with rosemary, pistachios, and garlic.
- Slather it on tacos – I love adding this to my Gochujang cauliflower tacos because it adds an additional layer of umami to the already umami-rich cauliflower.
- Add it to sandwiches or roasted vegetables – This makes an excellent base layer for any roasted veggies (e.g. whole roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.) and you can also add it to a nice slice of bread as a base for sandwiches!
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
You can store this vegan dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. I typically use a small mason jar or any glass jar with a lid to store the dressing and it’s worked out just fine!
If you want to make a larger batch, I highly suggest not adding the water until you’re ready to add it to the salad, as separation may occur. This way, you can also use the paste as a condiment.
🍴 More delicious salad dressings
Don’t forget to try out my other salad dressing recipes:
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Jalapeño Ranch Dressing
Creamy Japanese Sesame Dressing
The Best Cilantro Lime Sauce (5 Minutes!)
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vegan Caesar Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked cashews, water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped capers, salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Notes
- The dressing can be stored in airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Make ahead and enjoy.
- Don’t skip soaking the cashews! Soaking overnight is even better to achieve the perfect creamy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Note: This recipe was originally published on March 3, 2020. It was updated on 5 July, 2021 to include more helpful tips and a slight variation to the recipe.
