Ah, the Caesar salad. It’s something to behold.
I don’t know how many times I’ve gazed longingly upon other diner’s salads, while my sad, oily balsamic vinaigrette drips down lettuce that deserved something better. Something creamier. Something zesty. Something garlicky.
I think you get where this is going. I’m tired of not being able to enjoy Caesar salad because the dressing isn’t dairy-free. So I decided to make my own!
The best part is, it only takes 5 minutes. No cashew soaking, grinding, or blending involved. You can do this – and you totally should.
Origins of Caesar Salad
It’s thought that the Caesar salad originated in Mexico in the 1920s (source). Who knew?!
Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant, is believed to have created the recipe (by accident) at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. However, Caesar’s brother, Alex, claims that they invented the dish together prior to its success at Caesar’s Restaurant Bar.
The restaurant more commonly credited with its origination still exists today. And the salad is still made with the same original ingredients: romaine, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon, parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and a crouton.
Caesar salad has now spread across the globe and has taken on many modifications. This is our inspired, plant-based take on a similarly garlicky, zingy dressing!
How to Make Vegan Caesar Dressing
The base for this simple, 6-ingredient, 5-minute dressing is hummus. It creates a creamy, savory base that’s easy to come by since there’s almost always hummus in the fridge. Or at least in my fridge.
Next comes copious amounts of minced garlic, capers for that salty ocean taste, lemon juice + zest for brightness, and a little spicy mustard for zing. Add salt and pepper to taste and you’re good to go.
I hope you all love this dressing! It’s:
Creamy
Bold
Savory
Briney
Garlicky
Slightly spicy
Undetectably dairy-free
100% delicious
This dressing would be perfect on hearty salads, especially kale that’s been massaged with a little lemon and olive oil. Throw on some vegan parmesan cheese and it’ll taste just like the real thing – promise.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture @minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see. Cheers, friends!
5-Minute Vegan Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup plain hummus (store-bought or DIY)
- 1 tsp spicy mustard
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tsp capers (finely minced/smashed)
- 3 tsp caper brining juice (from a jar of capers)
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced (you can start with less if you don't love a garlicky Caesar)
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt + pepper (more to taste)
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (optional // for added creaminess)
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- To a small mixing bowl, add hummus, spicy mustard, lemon zest + juice, minced capers + brining juice, minced garlic, salt + pepper, and whisk thoroughly to combine. Olive oil is optional, but will add a bit more creaminess.
- Add a little hot water to thin until pourable and whisk until creamy and smooth (see photo). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper, lemon juice, or minced garlic if desired! Maple syrup will help offset how salty and briney this dressing is, if you find you need it (I did not).
- Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days.
- This dressing is delicious on kale, romaine, and arugula. Top with a little vegan parmesan cheese for the ultimate Caesar salad experience! The dressing is also great on roasted vegetables, especially Brussels sprouts and potatoes, and our Hearty White Bean Caesar Salad Bowls.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Recipe makes ~1/2 cup dressing.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Anne says
This was delicious! My only substitute was Dijon for the spicy mustard because that’s what I had. I just estimated amounts and adjusted as needed. So easy. I look forward to trying this again soon. We are not vegan, but are getting there. This recipe shows just how good vegan foods work just as well, if not better, in place of foods meat eaters are used to.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anne! Thank you so much for the lovely review. xo
Sarah says
Caesar salad wraps have long been something I have missed since going vegan 6 years ago. Could never quite find one that was like the “old times” and it was always a dressing problem. Came across this recipe shared by @sammitery on Insta who credited you. I am currently trying to eat better and since this had such healthy ingredients (lower calories than most cashew based ones), I had to try. O…. M…. G…. This is absolute perfection. I did not use the oil, but did use a touch of maple syrup, otherwise followed to a T. Have since started quadrupling the recipe to make a full jar worth and have made the most divine “chicken” ceasar wraps each day for lunch with some simple air fried soy curls. I am in love. Thank you for this and many of your other recipes I have also used over the years.
Aw, thank you for this wonderful review, Sarah! We’re so glad you came across this recipe and that it helped you enjoy a Caesar wrap again! xoxo
Ilana says
For years I’ve been looking for the perfect vegan caesar in restaurants only to be disappointed. The only place that does a sublime vegan caesar is City o City in Denver. Then I found this today. And what do you know? The. Perfect. Caesar. Dressing. Thank you! Minimalist Baker NEVER disappoints. I couldn’t be vegan without you!
Aw, we’re SO happy you enjoy our recipes, Ilana! Thank you for your sweet words and lovely review! xoxo
Nadine says
I have been a vegetarian for 12 years, and I loved caesar salad. Unfortunately throughout the years, I have never been able to find a vegetarian-friendly caesar salad dressing that I like, or can even stand for that matter. Every store bought brand I’ve tried is gross, and the house made one’s from fancy vegan restaurants were also gross. I had completely given up quite a few years back and made peace with the fact that I will never experience those flavors again. Until today! I had one of those uncommon, but aggressive, cravings for caesar salad. The craving was so intense that I decided to attempt a homemade version. When I saw the one on your page, I was very happy because I cook using your recipes often, and have never made one of your recipes that I didn’t like, so I was very optimistic. Even when I saw that I had to make a batch of hummus before making the dressing, that did not deter me! You know the craving is bad when you are on your lunch break and decide to make a whole batch of hummus in order to make a dressing, and even make some homemade croutons and fry up veggie bacon to make sure it is perfect! I am SO happy to report that your dressing recipe NAILED it for me! I did a happy dance in my kitchen! THANK YOU!!!! This one is going in my recipe book for sure!
Aw, we’re SO happy to hear you found this recipe and that it satisfied your craving! Thank you for this wonderful review, Nadine! xoxo
Sandra says
I’ve made this recipe at least a dozen times now. It’s so easy to make and it hits the spot every time! The dressing has the perfect tang and texture.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe and keep coming back to it. Thank you for the lovely review, Sandra! xo
Karen says
SO good! I added a hard boiled egg and used a NutriBullet style blender so the capers didn’t show :) MB has my go-to salad dressings and sauces.
I really value this because I avoid processed foods and salt, so I can control the salt when I make it myself. Thank you!
Aw, we’re honored to be your go-to for dressings and sauces, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing! xoxo
nicole says
THIS IS MY GO-TO VEGAN CEASAR DRESSING!!! 10/10
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it, Nicole! xoxo
Christl Michele says
What would you say is the difference in taste between your hummus-based and your cashew-based Caesar dressings? Thank you.
That’s a great question, Christl! The main difference is that the cashew-based dressing is more rich.
Waneeta Marchand says
This is soooooo good!! My taste buds applaud you.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Waneeta. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Debbie King says
Absolutely delicious! I was very impressed. I didn’t have capers so I used two large green olives and mashed them in the garlic press. I didn’t need the make syrup. Definitely going to make this every week.
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Debbie! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Tiffany Hyatt says
Wowza this salad dressing tastes just like Cesar and even better! Love love ❤️ thank you for sharing!
We’re so glad you love it, Tiffany! Thank you for the wonderful review! xo
Mel says
Loved it. Used canned white beans instead of hummus and threw it all in the food processor. Didn’t measure so I accidentally did too much brine but it was still delicious.
Great idea! Thank you for sharing, Mel! xo
Jacqueline Gibney says
Fantastic recipe. More of a mustardy flavor. I couldn’t find capers and I do not like olives so I used a bit of apple cider vinegar instead. Would love to try this with actual capers when I can find them. Since I’m not vegan I would add Parmesan when I have the budget. It’s got to be authentic which is expensive. Definitely not vegan then. But my reason for making this is because I have sensitivity’s to a lot of artificial crap and making real Cesar from scratch is not my thing. Raw eggs worry me. And real ceasar is too tedious. This is my go to base dressing and will play with it depending on what I want. I have made this twice now. Great if you want to eat healthy on a budget.
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe as a base, Jacqueline! Thank you for sharing! xo
Tamara Koroscil says
What brand of spicy mustard do you use?
Hi Tamara, we’ve used several brands, but typically Trader Joe’s. Hope that helps!
Teresa M Rodriguez says
As usual, another great recipe! I am super low sodium so I mash the capers with a fork and soak them until there is no /or at least very low salt and still the recipe is fantastic!
Thank you for another lovely review, Teresa! We’re so glad you enjoy this dressing! xo
Bri says
This was delicious. I upped the garlic and didn’t add the maple syrup and can confidently say this will be a fridge staple. Thank you!!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bri. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Wanda says
So good: I wish I had made a larger batch, just made half.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the dressing, Wanda! xoxo
Anna Ockelford says
My first time making Vegan Caesar dressing and it’s delicious. I won’t be buying store bought ever again. I even had a go and made the DIY hummus for it! I blended this dressing so my children couldn’t pick the capers out
:) This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Anna. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Leah says
This recipe is in my permanent rotation – it’s SO good. I max the lemon juice and go a little easier on the garlic compared to what’s in the recipe, especially when I have big, fresh cloves. The caper brine makes a big difference and truly makes it “Caesar-y”. I find I don’t need the maple syrup. I’ve used this as a salad dressing, pasta sauce, and have tossed roasted mini potatoes in it. I can’t imagine buying Caesar dressing ever again after this, vegan or not.
Whoop! We’re so glad it’s in your permanent rotation, Leah. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
kj says
So good!!! One time I didn’t have hummus so I subbed 2 TBSP tahini and now there is no going back. Amazing and everything things there is Parmesan in the dressing :)
Great idea! We’re so glad you enjoy it, KJ. Thank you for sharing! xo
Lisa says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! It is really hitting the spot! I made a “chicken” Caesar pasta salad with this and it was perfect!
Sounds delicious! We’re so glad you enjoyed, Lisa! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Devon says
This is soooo yummy and easy to make!! Definitely going in the weekly rotation ☺️
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Devon. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Ryan Burnett says
I’m using this recipe for a catering tomorrow! Curious how it would be with tahini subbed for hummus 🤤 might give it a go
Hi Ryan, it would have a stronger flavor, but probably still be tasty!
Sammy says
Its better with just tahini, I don’t do the hummus cause it’s not a fridge staple for me
Paige says
I didn’t use any brine from the capers. And I used half of the garlic and half the maple syrup. Delicious!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Paige! xo
Rylee says
Great vegan Caesar dressing recipe! I used the full 3 Tb lemon juice and 5 cloves of garlic and added the optional olive oil. I don’t find that it needs maple syrup at all. The tanginess and flavor is right on par with traditional Caesar dressing. Can’t wait to have it in my salmon Caesar salad wraps this week!
Yum! Thanks so much for sharing, Rylee!
Jessi says
Is capers have no place in my home 🤣, will the recipe turn out without them or is there a substitute? I’d be fine with trying it, but don’t want to throw away the rest of the capers when they sit unused in the fridge for two years haha.
Hi Jessi, The capers do add to the classic “caesar” flavor, but are not essential if you’d prefer to leave them out! Other readers have also reported subbing kalamata olives. Hope that helps!
Rebekah says
This is an awesome caesar dressing – made many times with the hearty casear salad with cannelini beans and root vegetables – yum!! My only problem is that I end up with a jar full (or half full) of dry capers because the brine goes faster than the capers! Any ideas for “re-brining” the capers somehow?
That’s such a great question, Rebekah! We haven’t experimented with it, but wonder if adding leftover pickle brine might work? Especially a fermented dill pickle brine!
yono says
This is amazing. I substituted white beans for the hummus (and I added a bit more garlic to compensate). I make a triple recipe and we eat it all week long. This has become part of our standard rotation. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
yono says
This is amazing. I substituted white beans for the hummus (and I added a bit more garlic to compensate). This has become part of our standard rotation. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Yono. Thank you for sharing! xo
frankeee says
Way too much garlic and mustard, otherwise interesting recipe
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it! This definitely is a garlicky one, which we enjoy!
Lauralea Dawson says
This hummus dressing was fantastic! I’ve been making my own dressings for a while now and none of them hit the spot ~ this one absolutely did! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy this one, Lauralea. Thank you for leaving a review! xo
Nicole says
10/10! The only thing I would change next time is to use less garlic (can’t believe I’m really saying that). Super creamy and definitely delicious!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Nicole! xo
Shawnna Maltbie says
Perfection! Absolutely life changing. Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Shawnna! xoxo
Kerri says
Have made this several times now. Adjust each time. Fab recipe. Packs a punch which we like in a Caesar. Love that it uses hummus. Always plenty left over for lunches etc.
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Kerri! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Katherine says
Omg this salad dressing has just changed the salad game!!! I can’t even believe how good this is. I really wanted to try it and didn’t have hummus but had the ingredients so I made your plain hummus to use and it was SO GOOD as well. I followed the recipe exactly other than the maple syrup-I used agave nectar because I was out of maple. I love sweet dressings so I did use the sweetener but it was definitely good without it as well. Thank you so much for this I am going to eat this every day now!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Katherine! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Kristina says
This recipe came together so easily! I love the briney flavor! I omitted the maple syrup. This is a big winner – even with my non vegan family members and our kiddo who doesn’t like ANY dressing! Thanks for this simple recipe – it will stay in the regular rotation!
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Kristina. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Kristen says
The BEST vegan Caesar dressing!! I make this regularly and it’s so so good. No one can tell that it’s vegan either. So good! Love your recipes 😊
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kristen. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Rachel says
Very good! I didn’t add maple syrup. I’ve add it before in salad dressing it I feel like that flavor is too heavy for salad
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Rachel! Thank you for sharing! xo
Leslie Howard says
Holy crap! This was amazing! Super simple and delicious, and it was a crowd pleaser at a dinner party. No one knew it was vegan! I tripled the recipe as is, but I only added a tsp of maple syrup at the end to balance it.
Amazing! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review, Leslie! xo