Vegan Caesar salad recipe
There are some non-traditional elements of this vegan Caesar salad like the egg-free dressing and baked tempeh. But the spirit of a classic Caesar salad shines through in all of its tart, creamy, salty glory, proving that recipes don’t have to be faithful in order to be evocative.
Recipe from Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw (published by Ten Speed Press).
Ingredients
For the Caesar dressing- 95 g raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained
- 120 ml water
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 20 g nutritional yeast
- 1 small bunch kale, stemmed and cut into thin strips
- 150 g firmly packed, chopped romaine lettuce
- 40 g chopped sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed or dry-packed (20g/1oz)
- 4 slices wholegrain bread, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- 0.2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for dusting
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 225 g tempeh, cut into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) cubes
Details
- Cuisine: American
- Recipe Type: Salad
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- To prepare the tempeh, put the cubes in a shallow glass bowl or container, preferably one large enough to fit all of the tempeh in a single layer.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the lemon juice, tamari, mustard, agave nectar, pepper, and oil and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the mixture over the tempeh and stir gently to evenly coat the tempeh. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the tempeh cubes on one lined baking sheet and dust with a grinding of pepper.
- To prepare the croutons, spread the bread cubes on the other lined baking sheet and drizzle with the oil.
- Toss the bread cubes until evenly coated, then spread them in an even layer. Sprinkle with the garlic powder and season with salt.
- Place both baking sheets in the oven. Bake the bread cubes for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Bake the tempeh for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
- To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a blender (preferably a high-speed blender) and process until smooth.
- To assemble the salad, put the kale, lettuce, and sun-dried tomatoes in a large bowl. Add half of the dressing and toss gently until evenly coated. Add the tempeh and croutons, pour in the remaining dressing, and toss again. Serve right away.
This recipe from Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw (published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC). Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
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