When transitioning to a vegan or cruelty-free lifestyle, many beginners are shocked to find out how many of their favorite “meat-free” dishes were never actually vegan at all! Even without the addition of grilled chicken, traditional caesar salad dressing typically contains eggs, cheese, and anchovies. However, through help from Willow in NYC, you can enjoy your favorite recipes worry-free, like this vegan caesar dressing!
Creamy, delicious, and perfectly seasoned, this vegan caesar dressing perfectly balances sharp, citrus flavors of lemon juice with that subtle bite that so many associate with a delicious caesar salad. Once prepared, this dressing stays fresh all week, making it a perfect addition to a weekly meal prep routine.
At Willow in NYC every dish is homey and familiar, then elevated with unique flavors and upscale presentation. We’re taking relatable American food and turning it on its head– then making it vegan!
Tips for the Perfect Vegan Caesar Dressing and Salad
The steps involved in making this vegan caesar dressing are incredibly simple. As a result, the overall quality of your dressing comes down to a single component: the quality of your ingredients.
Select the perfect ingredients, and you’ll be free to enjoy this fresh, delicious salad as a side for every meal of the week!
Find your Favorite Vegan Mayo
While most caesar dressings derive that popular, creamy consistency from raw egg yolk, this alternative relies instead on vegan mayonnaise as its base. With its unique blends of oils, soymilk, and other ingredients, vegan mayonnaise provides the smooth base you’ll need for this dressing, completely cruelty-free!
The bulk of this dressing’s flavor will come from the blend of citrus and seasonings, but the texture will be almost entirely decided by your choice of vegan mayonnaise. Because vegan mayo is such an important ingredient, you may want to shop around until you find the perfect option for you.
As you shop, look for healthy options with ingredients you understand. Our personal favorite choice for this recipe is Follow Your Heart’s classic Veganaise. This hugely popular product boasts all the flavor and texture of traditional mayonnaise with less than half the calories! Best of all, this brand keeps things safe and simple with wholesome, non-GMO ingredients.
Experiment with Homemade Croutons
To really bring this recipe to the next level, avoid dry, bagged croutons. Instead, step up your salad game by making your own, completely from scratch! By making your croutons fresh at home, you can ensure your salad truly is cruelty-free, from top to bottom. You’ll love the contrast between warm, toasted croutons and the chilled crunch of iceberg lettuce.
To enjoy these croutons, start by selecting your favorite vegan bread. Surprisingly, these croutons taste better when the bread is just a little stale! Dice your bread into squares roughly an inch in size, then leave them out for a few hours, until they are slightly dry in texture.
In a saute pan, bring a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to medium-high heat. For extra flavor, sautee a few cloves of garlic until browned. Throw in your bread cubes, toast until they’ve reached your desired level of crunch, then enjoy!
Willow NYC Vegan Ceasar Dressing
Without further ado, enjoy this vegan caesar dressing recipe, courtesy of Willow in NYC!
Ingredients
| 1/2 cup vegan mayo 1 teaspoon agave 2 teaspoons wakame powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon oregano dust | 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast 1/4 cup cold water Salt and pepper to taste |
Recipe
- Begin by mixing your vegan mayo in a bowl with lemon juice and all dried ingredients. Stir in your agave until blended.
- Continue stirring, slowly adding water until your dressing has reached the desired consistency.
- Sample your dressing and add additional salt or pepper as necessary.
Nutritional Information
Though salads have long been considered stereotypical “health food,” traditional caesar dressing often proves to be anything but healthy. Deceptively high in calories, fat, and cholesterol, traditional caesar dressing can leave your lunchtime salad so loaded in unnecessary oil, you may be better off reaching for that sandwich after all!
Unlike traditional caesar dressing, this healthy vegan caesar dressing contains less than 50 calories per tablespoon. Because it’s homemade, you have complete control over the amount of sodium and sugar you add to your diet, making it easy to personalize your meal to your life. Enjoy your salad guilt-free, knowing that your meal won’t be harming your health or any animals!
If you’re too busy to prepare this dressing from scratch, treat yourself to a crisp, delicious Caesar salad at Willow! Conveniently located in Chelsea, our gorgeously decorated bistro is the perfect setting for a long, relaxing lunch break.
Rather take your food to-go? Take advantage of pick-up or delivery options through our easy online ordering system! Check out our menu and treat yourself to a fresh-cooked vegan meal today.
