Name: How to Make Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3.53 ounces silken tofu (a little less than ½ cup); ½ teaspoon white miso paste; 1 garlic clove (chopped); 1½ teaspoons capers; 1½ tablespoons lemon juice (or to taste); 2 teaspoons cider vinegar; 1½ teaspoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon dijon mustard; 4 tablespoons water (or according to preference); Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)

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This delicious vegan caesar salad dressing is made using naturally low-calorie silken tofu for a super creamy texture and a touch of miso paste for extra depth and richness of flavour. Ready in 5 minutes!

Caesar salad dressing in square open jar with spoon, lemon, dressing in purple bowl and capers in small dish with spoon in background.

Making vegan caesar salad dressing involves combining all the ingredients and pureeing until smooth and creamy. Nothing could be simpler! It has a rich, delicious flavour (very similar to its traditional counterpart) that will lift any salad.

This dairy free caesar dressing is:

Incredibly creamy,
Full of flavour - savoury, tangy and sweet,
Low in fat and calories,
Easy to make,
Ready in 5 minutes!

Vegan caesar dressing vs traditional caesar dressing

Which is better?

This is of course a matter of personal preference, but if you are looking for a healthy caesar dressing the vegan variant is definitely that!

This dairy free caesar dressing has a lot less fat (and calories) than the traditional version, which often contains mayonnaise, sour cream and almost always, super calorific parmesan cheese.

I used silken tofu which is naturally low in fat (only 3 grams per 100 grams of product!). It not only makes this dressing light and creamy but does it with a very small amount of calories (only 22 per serving!).

Top down view of caesar dressing in square jar with spoon, lemon , miso paste in jar and capers in small dish with spoon.

Ingredients and substitutions

Silken tofu: makes the dressing super creamy and contributes very few calories (this ingredient also works well in creamy desserts, such as chocolate banana mousse).
Miso: I recommend using white miso.
Vinegar: either cider or rice vinegar will work.
Lemon juice.
Maple syrup: use agave or rice syrup instead if desired.
Capers: this is a good replacement for traditional anchovies, but you can use gherkins/pickles instead. You can also use nutritional yeast (1-2 tablespoons or to taste) which has a tangy 'cheesy' flavour.
Garlic.
Mustard.
Soy sauce.
Oil: use any neutral tasting oil, such as vegetable (rapeseed or sunflower) or a very mild olive oil.
Water: adjust the amount to get the consistency you want.

Vegan caesar salad dressing ingredients in individual dishes. — Vegan caesar salad dressing ingredients.

How to make vegan caesar salad dressing: step-by-step

1.In a bowl or blender combine all the ingredients. Add a bit less water to start with and top up later if needed.

Silken tofu, oil, capers and other ingredients in purple bowl with spoon.

2. Puree until silky smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed (top up with more water if you would like a runnier consistency). Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

Smooth yellow caesar dressing in purple bowl with stick blender end.

3. Transfer your mayo free caesar salad dressing to a jar and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Chill before serving.

Serving suggestions

This homemade vegan caesar salad dressing is extremely versatile and can be enjoyed with vegan caesar salad or any other salad recipe that calls for a creamy dressing. It's delicious with a simple coleslaw!

It's also delicious poured over fried tofu steaks or roasted vegetables. If you add less water you could use it in place of mayonnaise in sandwiches, burgers (try sweet potato burger or beet quinoa burger) or salads. My Polish potato salad and potato and dill salad would taste delicious with this dressing!

Top tips

Add the water gradually to get the consistency you want.
Use white miso paste.
You probably won't need to add any additional salt to this recipe as some of the ingredients are quite salty.
Puree the ingredients in a small blender or use a stick blender if you prefer.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving if possible.
Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Not suitable for freezing.

Dressing in square open jar with spoon, lemon, miso paste in jar, capers in small dish with spoon and silken tofu package in background.

More creamy dressings to try next

You might also like these easy, delicious salad recipe ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make this vegan caesar salad dressing recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any substitutions? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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