Caesar salad is traditionally made with many ingredients that are not particularly health-promoting, mainly eggs, cheese, oil, salt, anchovies, and oil-soaked croutons. This recipe shows that you can still enjoy the tangy, sweet flavors of this beloved salad in good health.
Caesar-y Salad
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 to 6 (makes about 9 cups salad and 1 cup dressing) 1x
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 1 large head romaine lettuce (about ¾ pound), coarsely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium, ripe avocado, chopped (optional)
- 1 ounce raw, unsalted cashews or walnuts, ground (about ¼ cup; for optional garnish)
- Ground black pepper
- For the dressing:
- ½ cup water
- 2 ounces raw, unsalted cashews (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mustard (I like Dijon or stone ground)
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1 medium clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
Instructions
- Place all of the dressing ingredients (water, cashews, lemon juice, mustard, raisins, garlic, and herbs) into a blender, and set aside for 15 minutes (so the cashews can soften).
- Place the lettuce, bell pepper, and avocado (if using) into a large salad bowl.
- Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Season with pepper to taste, and garnish with ground cashews or walnuts, if desired (see Notes).
Notes
For a lower-fat dressing, replace the cashews with ¾ cup of cooked white beans.
To achieve the look of finely grated parmesan cheese, use a rotary cheese grater to add a dusting of walnuts or cashews to the top of each salad plate.
When tomatoes are in season, I use 2 cups chopped instead of the bell pepper.
As a crouton substitute, try some Roasted Garbanzo Beans.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ recipe, 1.3 cups
- Calories: 141
- Sugar: 14.9g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 4.6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7g
- Fiber: 4.1g
- Protein: 3.6g
- Cholesterol: 0
Above: With thinly peeled raw jicama to resemble Parmesan cheese shavings.
Above: Caesar-y Salad with mashed Yukon gold potatoes and steamed cauliflower.
Thank you! I've been craving a Ceasar Salad...
Yum! I used a medjool date instead of raisins since it's what I have on hand. This being my 1st Caesar salad in 4yrs was a definite winner and wont be my last😊
I love you for this! I have a Vegan Caesar Dresing we ADORED but is not even close to being oil-free or healthy. I have been on the hunt for another. I will try this! What are your thoughts on Miso in Caesar dressing?
So happy to hear that Andrea! 🙂 I don't use miso (a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley, and/or soybeans with salt) in my cooking because it's so concentrated with salt.
Thanks Cathy. Salt is still an issue for me that I am working to wean off from. I have never noticed any issues ever with using it but recently with pregnancy I have been getting a lot of edema in my calves and feet and figure that has to be it because I am only 18 weeks and I eat so clean otherwise. (no sugar, no oils, vegan)
Thanks Andrea. 🙂 Yay, a vegan momma! Yes, salt is a challenge. I don't use any at home knowing that when I go out (which isn't that often) I will get it. Even if you don't add any to your food, restaurants add a lot in the preparation, one of the ways they keep people coming back. 😉
Yes, they are smart! I mostly don't eat things that come from a box and I don't add it to my food while cooking-but I will add it on top like it is going out of style sometimes. My kids even ask for it now which KILLS me. They can eat a whole pound of broccoli between the two of them (I have a 5 year old boy and an almost 3 year old girl) but they want it to have salt on top. Need to find some good weaning approaches for the family, like a good salt-free seaoning that the kids will like too. Just don't know a good one, just tried Mrs. Dash which I am not fond of.
Andrea, try Benson's Tasty Table salt-free seasonings (order online) or ground/dried celery, which you can find at a spice shop. They may also like salt-free poultry seasoning.
EXCELLENT dressing!
Andrea, you might like Mrs. Dash's "Lemon Pepper No-Salt Seasoning" - the lemon is nice with broccoli. Also, I have two grandchildren who are almost 4 and almost 2 and they like nutritional yeast blends on their steamed vegetables. Sesame seeds are good with n.yeast, as are almonds or sunflower seeds. If you have a coffee grinder that you use for nuts and seeds, just put a tablespoon of n.yeast in there with a tablespoon of the nuts or seeds, and grind them up together. I keep an already-made supply of ground yeast/sesame seeds in a small jar in the fridge.
If you take everything out of a Caesar salad that makes a Caesar salad, I wouldn't even go there. How about...here's a fantastic salad I just made up! 🙂 Thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Mary, because I wanted people to know that it was an interpretation of the classic, for those who miss those great flavors. Hopefully my title of "Caesar-y" let's people know it's similar but different. 🙂
😀
similar but different is cool 😀
This would be great to make for my friends, then we can all enjoy together! You are so creative Cathy and your photos are beautiful!
This would indeed be a good one to make for all types of eaters. Thank you so much! 😉
Ooohhh, this looks delicious! I love how you have made adjustments with salt-containing ingredients. I also love the topping suggestions, especially with the jicama!
Looks and sounds amazing! You continue to impress me Cathy!
Aw, thanks so much Trisha! 😉
I rate my recipes 3, 4, 5 stars so that I can recall how much I liked them. I LITERALLY gave this recipes 500 STARS!!! OMG. Cathy, the dressing is RIDICULOUS!! This is going to be a go to recipe for me. I LOVED and LOVE IT. Thank you so much. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS. You are so wonderfully creative. Much appreciation.
Hi Tom, wow! Thank you, and I'm so glad you love it! That's a lotta love. 😉
Cathy, my kids love this dressing as a veggie dip. Thanks!
Yay! Love to hear when kids like the healthy food. 🙂
what can I do about the nuts? I am allergic, I feel so limited with so many vegan recipes because so many recipes have nuts.
Hi Debbie, you can leave them out entirely (won't be as creamy/rich, but will still have great flavor) or you can substitute with some white beans or tofu. 🙂
Debbie, are you allergic to seeds, too? If not, sunflower seeds are a good substitute for nuts in some recipes.
This is so delicious! I used fresh herbs so it turned green and is soooo yummy! Better than fishy Caesar. Thanks.
Your dressing looks so good & just the thing to get me back on track.
I made my own worcestershire sauce, no anchovies but yes sugar ingredients are plum jam & molasses, a good flavour hit for the small amount needed in a recipe.
I just tried this recipe last night and personally loved it. The family wasn't as sold, so I guess this one is just for me, though my son took the other half pepper and gnawed on that.
I did make a few substitutions & changes based on my on preferences:
1 Tbsp Dijon (I'm not a huge fan of mustard - though as part of something bigger, sure . . .)
Herbs de Province instead of d'Italia
No avocado. I can only take it in very small doses.
Where can you get raw cashew more cheaply? These were very expensive, more than roasted, salted ones! Clearly the cashews are the most important part, though (I'd never have thought to use nuts like these to make a creamy dressing).
Hi Zeke, thanks for the comments! 😉 It always seems the raw, unsalted varieties are more expensive, especially if organic as well. You can use walnuts or another nut. I don't use that many nuts so just get the amount I need per recipe, usually at Whole Foods or wherever bulk nuts are sold.
Do you have to use raisins?
No, you can leave them out, or replace with a date. 🙂
I have been looking for a tasty salad dressing since so much of my food revolves around salad! So far I have not found one that actually tastes good--- til now! Your Caesar-y dressing is delish!! I think it is the sweet of raisins against the garlic and acid of lemon. Wow. It is amazing. Thank you!!!! Changing my dull salads:)
Hi Sue, yay, love to hear that! I tried dates first and they weren't as good as the raisins, which add more sweet, yes. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
This is nothing short of amazing. Ceaser salad was my Dad's favorite, and I have many memories of going to restaurants with him and having Ceasar Salad. It is so nice to have a healthy version!
Aw, thanks Lynn! I'm so glad you liked it, and that it ties in with your good memories with your dad. Thank you for the comment. 🙂
Thank you so much for your website and for everything you do. Op
😉
Hi Cathy, I know that white vinegar is dangerous to the stomach lining. Are rice vinegar & Balsamic vinegars dangerous to use also. I use lemon juice in all my recipes, but will it make a difference in the taste as I am anxious to try you caesar salad...Alice
Hi Cathy,My wife and I met you at Dr McDougalls in March and this is the BEST Caesar Salad dressing we have ever had. It's better than my old pre-plant based days Caesar dressing. I can't believe we used to think we needed oil in everything. Jim&Flo
Thanks for the comment, Jim! 🙂 That's great to hear!
I made the dressing to eat with our July 4th dinner tonight. I thought it was delicious. I used it over a cruciferous crunch salad [a new Trader Joe's salad selection] with added chopped sweet onion, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. I've been looking for caesar-y dressing, and I'm still looking for a tasty ranch one. Thank you Cathy!
what seasoning do you use called dry Italian herbs? Is this the traditional Italian seasoning one finds in most supermarkets or Penzy's or something else? Name brand please is you can
It doesn't matter, any Italian green herb blend will be fine. I use different brands, including Penzys. 🙂
I used Penzy's "tuscan sunset" and am very pleased
This is one of the BEST caesar salads I have had! This dressing is amazing! This is a new keeper for me! Thank you so much!
Caesar would have approved. Hail Caesar!
Not a big fan of Caesar Salad and therefore it took me until it being record-breaking heat here this past week to try this recipe (trying not to turn on cooktop or oven) and I'm SO happy I finally tried it!! YUM!! This is deeeelish! And something I could eat every day! I omitted the avocado as I still have weight to lose and I have a Blentech so I was concerned that since my currants (had these in the house so substituted for the raisins) were not chopped up that it would be a problem but I actually like the dressing even chunkier! Cathy, thank you so much! I love your recipes and your style of cooking!
Great story Kathleen! Thanks! I love this salad and dressing. It really is amazing that people think that we need certain ingredients to make favorite foods good (oil, cheese, salt, etc.). There always seems to be a way around these health offenders and still enjoy the dish. Thanks!
I'm so glad I found your website. Btw: Do you have a recipe for your mashed potato's? Thank you!
Hi Tracey, yes, Mashed Potatoes. 🙂
Hi Kathy,
Thanks so much for this recipe. It has such good reviews 🙂 Really looking to trying it out. Ill be trying it out and hoping to take it for a Christmas potluck coming up actually. I'm allergic to nuts though so wanted to find out please your advice on the best white beans to replace with for best results. Would you suggest navy, cannellini, great northern or butter beans or any preferred one I missed out. Please let me know. Will greatly appreciate it!! Thanks 🙂
I don't really have a favorite. But I think I usually use navy beans. I don't think it matters much, as white beans are generally mild in flavor. 🙂
Hi Cathy** (sorry about the error)
Thanks a ton for the response. 🙂 Aw okay. Will go ahead and use navy beans then. Looking forward to making it!! Thank youuuu 🙂
Just made the 'caesar-y salad' with my own twist.
I added 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast to the dressing and just used romaine with Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon. Better than traditional caesar. I could have used croutons too but didn't have any. YUM-YUM
I just got your book for my birthday and have made several of the recipes.
This Cesar-y dressing is great. It tastes like the real thing!
I’m new to your site. Love it so far. This awesome-looking recipe got my attention!!
This was delicious on a arugula salad! I am thinking it would be an amazing dip for artichokes!!! Thank you.
This is always a wonderful dressing. I come back to it over and over. One thing, I take a citrus zester and shave a Brazil nut on top. I think I learned that from your carrot cake cupcake recipe. I always add onion as well. But this is Straight Up a perfect recipe as is. I have two copies of your book and I have bought it for several friends as well.
I love this salad! Especially the dressing, I use it on other things as well...