Caesar salad is defined by its dressing. Without that creamy, umami-packed component, you just have a bowl of lifeless romaine and perhaps a few sad croutons. Bring any lettuce to life with this incredibly tasty and super simple plant-based Caesar salad dressing. It tastes just like your favorite bottled brand—without the anchovies, egg, or cheese. It’s also a decent source of healthy fat thanks to the cashews. Make a batch and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted and unroasted (raw) cashews
1 1/2 cups of water, divided
2 garlic cloves peeled (plus more to taste)
1/4 cup bottled or fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
1/8 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Instructions
1. Add the cashews and 1 1/4 cups of water to a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the water starts to boil rapidly, turn down the heat to medium and allow the cashews to cook in that boiling water for 10 minutes. Afterward, drain and rinse the cashews in cold water.
2. Place the cashews, remaining 1/4 cup water, and remaining ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend on high until the Caesar dressing is smooth. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, add an additional tablespoon of water to the mix and blend again.
3. Enjoy with salad or serve as an umami-bomb veggie dip!
Recipe reposted with permission of Audrey Dunham, a Switch4Good team member and founder of Peanut’s Bake Shop. If you’re a recipe developer, athlete, or just proud to be dairy-free, sign up to be a part of our growing team of go-getter individuals!
