A salad is a wonderful meal when done right! We used to call this salad Mama Z's Vegan Caesar Salad. After serving it to Mama Z's bestie Chantel Ray, her son had other words to describe it.
This is one of Dr. Z's favorite meals because the creamy Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing makes a simple bowl of fresh vegetables feel like a real meal. The dressing is gluten-free and dairy-free, and the recipe itself is vegan. Best of all, it comes together in just minutes.
Table of Contents:
Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
This creamy homemade Caesar dressing gives you the savory, tangy flavor you want without dairy. Make a batch for your salad, then keep the extra on hand for dipping fresh vegetables.
Mama Z’s Trillion $ Caesar Salad Dressing (Vegan)
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 small organic garlic cloves, minced OR pressed
- 1 teaspoon organic Mediterranean capers
- 1 teaspoon organic Dijon mustard OR Mama Z’s Quick Honey Mustard*
- 1 teaspoon organic liquid aminos
- 1 cup soy-free Vegenaise OR your preferred avocado oil OR grapeseed oil vegan mayonnaise
- ½ cup fresh Parmesan-style cheese alternative OR Homemade Vegan Parmesan OR Parmesan-style cheese alternative**
- ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground
- ¼ teaspoon organic white pepper, ground
Supplies
- Magic Bullet OR food processor
Instructions
- Place the garlic, capers, Dijon, liquid aminos, mayonnaise, half of the parmesan, salt, and pepper in a magic bullet or food processor. Blend until well combined. Stir in the rest of the parmesan and adjust the seasonings if needed. Keep it in a glass container in the fridge, where it will last 2-3 weeks, depending on your climate. Use on salads or as a dip.
Step One: Blend the Ingredients
Place the garlic, capers, Dijon, liquid aminos, mayonnaise, half of the parmesan, salt, and pepper in a magic bullet or food processor. Blend until well combined. Stir in the rest of the parmesan and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Keep in a glass container in the fridge. Use on salads or as a dip. Enjoy!
Healthy Caesar Dressing Ingredients
This dressing uses simple ingredients you can find at a well-stocked grocery store. Here's why I use them and a few substitutions that can help you make the recipe work for your family.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives Caesar dressing its signature bite and savory flavor.
Mama Z Pro Tip: Save time in the kitchen by using a garlic press! This is one of my favorite kitchen tools, and it makes recipe prep a breeze.
Capers: These brined flower buds add the salty, tangy flavor that helps give this dressing its Caesar character.
Dijon Mustard or Mama Z's Honey Mustard: A hint of mustard gives this dressing much-needed zest. You can use Dijon mustard, or use my honey mustard recipe, made with raw, organic local honey and Dijon mustard.
Liquid Aminos: This gives the dressing savory umami flavor. If you avoid soy, check the label because many liquid aminos are soy-based. Coconut aminos are a useful soy-free alternative. You can find liquid aminos here.
Vegan Mayonnaise: This creates the creamy base. To avoid the oils we choose not to use, purchase soy-free Vegenaise or your favorite grapeseed oil or avocado-oil-based mayonnaise. Check the ingredient label because oil blends vary by brand.
Vegan Parmesan Cheese: I consider this nut-based cheese one of my most fabulous creations. Garlic powder and pine nuts give it that traditional parmesan flavor without dairy. If you don't have my version made, you can use your favorite vegan parmesan cheese.
Salt and Pepper: We recommend using Colima sea salt or Himalayan salt. I also recommend freshly ground organic white pepper.
Best Caesar Salad Recipe
Salads are one of our go-to meals because they're easy to customize for your family. Here's our favorite combination of toppings and vegetables. Get creative and use what you have!
Mama Z’s Trillion $ Caesar Salad (Vegan)
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 organic Romaine hearts
- 1 package organic butter lettuce
- 1-2 cups organic kale, de-stemmed OR 1-2 cups organic baby kale
- ¼-½ cup organic pea pods (optional)
- 1 organic Roma tomato, chopped. OR 1 cup organic cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 organic sweet bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons organic hemp hearts/seeds
- Gluten-free croutons OR Homemade Croutons*
- ½ cup organic garbanzo beans OR chickpeas
- ¾ cup Mama Z’s Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
Instructions
- Chop your lettuce and veggies into bite-size pieces, then place them in your largest salad bowl.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with hemp hearts, gluten-free croutons, and garbanzo beans. Add the dressing and gently toss to coat.
Step One: Prep the Veggies
The perfect salad consists of veggies that are bite-sized! Chop your greens once vertically, then a few more times horizontally until you reach your desired consistency.
Chop the ends off the pea pods to include only the best part. I like dicing the tomatoes and peppers into small pieces so they get coated evenly with dressing. Place the vegetables in your largest salad bowl.
Step Two: Add Dressing and Toppings
Sprinkle the vegetables with hemp hearts, gluten-free croutons, and garbanzo beans. Add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Enjoy!
Caesar Salad Variations
Variety is the spice of life! Here are a few different ideas to get you started. Within no time you'll be coming up with your own salads! If you aren't vegan, feel free to add pasture-raised organic eggs and hormone-free organic chicken.
Basic Caesar
This salad is perfect for picky eaters or those new to healthy eating. Those who aren't used to eating lots of greens may find it easier to enjoy basic lettuce as opposed to kale or spinach. This variation consists of 3 Romaine hearts, 1 package of butter lettuce, tomatoes, gluten-free croutons, peppers, and of course Caesar dressing.
Garden-Fresh
This version is popular with gardeners! It's a great way to use excess fresh produce. To make this salad, mix spinach or kale, Romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, hemp hearts or sunflower seeds, and Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing.
Mediterranean Delight
This is a tasty dish that really brings out the flavor of the dressing! To create this recipe, mix butter lettuce, Romaine lettuce, kale, 1-2 teaspoons Mediterranean capers, Kalamata olives, hemp hearts, croutons, and Caesar dressing.
Why We Make Our Own Caesar Dressing
With all the options on store shelves, why make Caesar dressing at home? For me, it comes down to simplicity, ingredients, and cost.
If you peek in my fridge, you'll see jars of homemade condiments, including a dressing or two. I've been doing this for years because making food from scratch lets me choose exactly what goes into our family's meals.
Clean store-bought dressings can also get expensive. When you keep versatile ingredients on hand, you can use them for multiple batches and other recipes instead of buying another specialty bottle every time you need dressing.
Most importantly, homemade dressing lets us avoid ingredients we personally choose not to use, including canola oil and unnecessary added sugars, while choosing the oils and whole-food ingredients we prefer.
And this isn't an all-day kitchen project. The dressing comes together in about 5 minutes. That's my kind of from-scratch cooking!
- https://www.canolacouncil.org/download/2042/canola-watch/14597/20110309_fpj_aut11_beckie-et_-al_-2
- https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/know-your-fats/the-great-con-ola/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25961060/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5424551/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178115003844
