Vegan Oil-Free Caesar Dressing is a healthy, creamy, homemade dressing for your caesar salad! Made with six ingredients and ready in 5 minutes, this cashew caesar dressing is the perfect plant-based caesar salad dressing.
This is a vegan and oil-free version of classic caesar dressing!
Most caesar dressings use anchovies, eggs, cheese, and oils. But this vegan caesar is free from all of that!
It's easy to make at home and is bursting with flavor, just like a traditional caesar dressing. Made with cashews and a few spices, this dressing is perfect for your next caesar salad.
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Why I love this Oil-Free Cashew Caesar Dressing
- Dietary needs - this dressing is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined sugar free
- Quick dressing - ready in less than five minutes!
- Simple ingredients - you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!
- Versatile - you can use this dressing for more than just salads. Serve it with pasta, as a dipping sauce, or as a marinade
- Great on any salad - even though this is caesar dressing, you can definitely serve it on more than just caesar. It's great on any salad you might dream up!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Raw Cashews: instead of oil as the base of the dressing, we're using cashews. Cashews have a neutral flavor that doesn't add significant flavor to the dressing. For a nut free version, use chickpeas instead.
- Lemon Juice: acid helps create a nice tangy flavor. You could sub lime juice or apple cider vinegar
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon has the best flavor for a dressing like this - I don't recommend using yellow mustard
- Nutritional Yeast: caesar dressing usually has parmesan cheese, so nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor. Find nutritional yeast in the baking or spice aisle.
- Capers in brine: capers add a tangy flavor thats somewhat like olives. Since caesar usually has anchovies, the capers are a great vegan substitute
- Garlic Powder: since there is already a lot of tang from the lemon juice and capers, garlic powder adds a garlic flavor without the tang of raw garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Water: water helps thin out the dressing to a pourable consistency. If you like an even thinner dressing, just add more water
How to make Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing
Step 1. Add all the ingredients except the water to a high speed blender.
Step 2. Blend. Add the water, starting with ¼ cup and increasing if needed.
FAQ & Expert Tips
If you want your dressing super thick, use less water. Or add some more more cashews to help re-thicken the dressing.
Or, if you want a thinner, more drizzleable dressing, add more water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until you achieve your desired consistency.
Store covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I usually keep mine in a mason jar.
Salads that go with this Oil-Free Caesar Dressing
Use this dressing on any salad! Here are a few suggestions:
- Caesar Salad! Of course
- Rainbow Salad
- Arugula Citrus Salad
- Carrot Raisin Salad
- Black Lentil Salad
- Kale Harvest Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
More vegan dressings
Looking for other easy vegan versions of your favorite dressings? I've got you:
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Oil-Free Cashew Caesar Salad Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Raw Cashews
- ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Capers in brine
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼-1/2 Cup Water
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients except the water to a high speed blender.
- Blend. Add the water, starting with ¼ cup and increasing if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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