Say hello to our new favorite salad.
It’s crunchy, fresh, incredibly easy to make, and boasts BIG zesty flavor from our 5-minute Caesar dressing. The recipe was born out of a simple need to put dinner on the table with minimal effort. We had a bunch of random ingredients that got thrown together, and it just totally worked. Hello, next-level vegan caesar salad!
The best part? Just 30(ish) minutes required for this incredibly hearty plant-based entrée or side. Let us show you how it’s done!
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. Our version is not traditional but is a plant-based take made with romaine and a similarly garlicky, zingy dressing!
We hope you love this vegan caesar salad! It’s:
Crunchy
Savory
Sweet
Vibrant
Fresh
& SUPER satisfying!
Enjoy as a side or light entrée (our favorite). Or top with chickpeas for added protein and a more filling meal!
What Goes Well With It?
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Caesar Salad with BBQ Sweet Potato Croutons
Ingredients
SALAD
- 1 batch BBQ Roasted Sweet Potato Croutons (OR 2 roasted sweet potatoes, baked then chopped)
- 2 heads romaine lettuce hearts (rinsed, dried, roughly chopped // ~10 heaping cups chopped as original recipe is written)
- 1 cup roughly chopped parsley
- 1 cup shredded or thinly sliced carrots
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
DRESSING
- 1/2 cup plain hummus (store-bought or DIY)
- 1 ½ tsp spicy mustard (we used a mix of grainy and spicy // either will work)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp capers (chopped)
- 1-2 tsp caper brining juice
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt + pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional // omit if oil-free)
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, prepare your BBQ Roasted Sweet Potato Croutons or roasted sweet potatoes. Set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare dressing. To a small mixing bowl, add hummus, spicy mustard, lemon zest + juice, minced capers + brining juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, maple syrup, and olive oil (optional) and stir to combine. If needed, add a little water to thin until pourable and whisk until creamy and smooth (see photo).
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper to taste, lemon juice for acidity, lemon zest for vibrant citrus flavor, minced garlic for zing, capers for “sea” flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, or mustard for spice.
- Next, prepare remaining ingredients, including the romaine lettuce, parsley, and shredded carrots. Then add all to a serving platter or bowl and top with sweet potatoes and nutritional yeast (optional).
- Add dressing and toss, or serve on the side. This salad stores best when the dressing is kept separate from the greens. Store leftovers separately: The salad will keep 2-3 days, the dressing will keep 4-5 days. Not freezer friendly.
Kate says
This recipe is so delicious! I added chickpeas for some extra protein with the same seasoning as the sweet potatoes. It came out great!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kate. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Becky Evertz says
Is there a substitute for the capers and brine?
Hi Becky, The capers do add to the classic “caesar” flavor, but are not essential if you’d prefer to leave them out!
Anna says
This salad was so good and easy. I loved the sweet potatoes as croutons. The caesar dressing is much better than the non-vegan version. This dish is definitely going in my rotation.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoy it! xo
Tammy says
What type of parsley do you use?
Cilantro
Italian or
Parsley.
Salad looks great!
Hi Tammy, we prefer Italian parsley in this one. Let us know how you like it!
Makayla says
I made this for lunch and it was so delicious! The smoked paprika really brought out that barbecue flavour in the sweet potatoes, and the ceaser dressing was very good. I found that the fresher the dressing ingredients (like the garlic), the better. I omitted the parsley to keep it simple, and really enjoyed it!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Makayla! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lindsay says
Delicious blend of flavors! Any suggestions for making the sweet potato croutons more crispy?
Hi Lindsay, we’d suggest the convection bake function if you have it!
Andy Mueller says
I enjoyed this recipe for the most part but found that that much parsley almost wrecked it! A QUARTER ofna cup would have been way more than plenty.
So sorry to hear that, Andy! What type of parsley did you use- curly or flat leaf?
Nicole says
This was great! The dressing was reminiscent of caesar but it was definitely it’s own yummy thing. It was filling and hearty for a salad, and I especially loved the yam “croutons” on their own.
Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
Anne says
Awesome salad – which is actually pretty filling – though I did add extra sweet potatoes! Don’t skip the parsley and I added some vegan Parmesan rather than nutritional yeast. Would make a great lunch to share – will definitely make it again!
Love the modifications, Anne! Never such thing as too many sweet potatoes =) Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kortneii Mackenzie says
This was so very delicious! Thanks again! Always something good from you! I am not usually a fan of sweet potatoes so I made this with 1 yam and 1 yellow potato. But I could eat this with just the yams! Ididn’t find this to be very Cesar salad like but non the less I will definitely make it again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kortneii! Thanks so much for sharing!
Zainab says
Tried the dressing and it was amazing! I blended all the dressing ingredients together (too lazy to chop garlic) and it worked just fine. Very creamy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Zainab! And love the efficient modification =) Thanks for the lovely review!
Fabiola Franck says
Hi! I have some leftover spinach and arugula. Is that good for this recipe as well?
Romaine is best, but those should work- just won’t be quite as fresh/crunchy. Let us know how it goes!