This mouth-watering Vegan Caesar Salad features mixed greens, roasted kale, peas, quinoa coated tofu, almond flakes and homemade Caesar dressing made with nutritional yeast, for the most delicious gluten-conscious salad you’ll ever eat!
Caesar salads have long been the favourite of the world, but this quick and healthy version is taking things up a level! The crispy tofu, quinoa and almonds are the delicious protein source. Nutritional yeast will supply you with your dose of B12. And the homemade non-dairy Caesar dressing will remind you that vegan meals can be flavourful. Time to jazz up your salad making skills and show the world good food can be cruelty free!
This crispy tofu salad is the perfect side to my homemade burgers recipe!
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Ingredients
- Lemon
- Oil
- Garlic
- Kale
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Dijon Mustard
- Nutritional Yeast
- Tofu
- Tapioca Flour
- Quinoa Flakes
- Almond slices
- Peas
- Mixed leaves
- Cucumber
See the recipe card for quantities!
How to make Vegan Caesar Salad
Crispy Kale:
Place the shredded kale on a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil, lemon juice, and some seasoning. Using your hands, massage until softened and evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer and roast in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until crispy, shifting halfway. Remove from the oven on completion.
Coat the Tofu:
In a shallow dish place the mayo with a small splash of water, and whisk until runny. Prepare two more shallow dishes; one containing the tapioca flour and the other containing the quinoa flakes.
Pat the tofu dry using a paper towel, then coat in the tapioca flour, then in the mayo, and lastly in the quinoa flakes, making sure they're fully coated in each mixture.
Fry the tofu crispy:
Place the pan to medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. When hot, fry the tofu slabs for 3-4 minutes, gently turning as they colour, until crispy and golden all over. On completion, transfer to a baking tray and place them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to keep them warm and crispy.
Rehydrate the peas:
While the tofu pieces are in the oven, submerge the peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plumped up and heated through. Drain on completion.
Prepare the homemade Caesar dressing:
Mix the Dijon mustard and vegan mayo in a small bowl. Combine with the lemon juice, a drizzle of oil, and grated garlic to taste. Gradually mix in the nutritional yeast until thick and 'cheesy'. Then, loosen adding water in 5 ml increments until the salad dressing is drizzling consistency.
Assemble!
Layout a bed of rinsed green leaves and top with the peas and crispy kale. Cover in the cucumber ribbons and place the crispy tofu on top. Sprinkle over the toasted almond and then drizzle the whole plate with the easy Caesar dressing!
Substitutions
This tofu salad and Caesar dressing recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and free from anchovies!
If you want a soy-free version, simply leave out the tofu and add some crispy chickpeas.
For a nut-free version, leave out the almond flakes and add some of your favourite seeds instead.
Caesar salads have traditionally been made with Romaine Lettuce, but you can use any green leaves.
Storage
This kale and tofu salad is best eaten right away, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a day.
Before serving, reheat the tofu and drizzle more of your easy caesar salad dressing on top.
Top tips and FAQs
For the crispiest tofu, fry it in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Place the tofu slabs in the oven for 3-5 minutes for extra crispiness. Remove from the oven just before assembling.
The homemade Caesar dressing, crispy kale and fried tofu can be prepared in advance. While you assemble the meal, reheat the tofu and plump up the peas.
Traditionally, Caesar salad isn’t vegan. But this tofu and kale salad with homemade salad dressing is made without anchovies and eggs which makes it such a simple recipe that is a cruelty-free version of this delicious classic!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- Oil Drizzling and Cooking
- 150 grams Kale Rinsed and shredded
- 15 ml Lemon Juice
- 15 ml Olive oil
- 20 ml Vegan Mayo
- 45 ml (3 Tablespoons) Tapioca Flour
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) Quinoa Flakes
- 330 grams Tofu Cut into 1cm strips and patted dry
- 120 grams (¾ cup) Peas
- 120 grams Salad Leaves Rinsed & roughly shredded
- 150 grams Cucumber Peeled into ribbons
- 45 grams Almonds flakes Toasted
- Salt and pepper To taste
Caesar Salad Dressing
- 80 ml Vegan mayo
- 2 ml Dijon mustard
- 2 ml Olive oil
- 45 ml Lemon Juice
- 2 Garlic Cloves Peeled & grated
- 45 ml (3 Tablespoons) Nutritional Yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).Place the shredded kale on a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil, lemon juice, and some seasoning. Using your hands, massage until softened and evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer and roast in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until crispy, shifting halfway. Remove from the oven on completion.
- In a shallow dish place the mayo with a small splash of water, and whisk until runny. Prepare two more shallow dishes; one containing the tapioca flour and the other containing the quinoa flakes.
- Pat the tofu dry using a paper towel, then coat in the tapioca flour, then in the mayo, and lastly in the quinoa flakes, making sure they're fully coated in each mixture.
- Place the pan to a medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. When hot, fry the tofu slabs for 3-4 minutes, gently turning as they colour, until crispy and golden all over. On completion, transfer to a baking tray and place them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to keep them warm and crispy.
- While the tofu pieces are in the oven, submerge the peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plumped up and heated through. Drain on completion.
- Lay out a bed of rinsed green leaves and top with the peas and crispy kale. Cover in the cucumber ribbons and place the crispy tofu on top. Sprinkle over the toasted almond and then drizzle the whole plate with the creamy caesar dressing!
How to make creamy Caesar dressing!
- Mix the Dijon mustard and vegan mayo in a small bowl. Combine with the lemon juice, a drizzle of oil, and grated garlic to taste.
- Gradually mix in the nutritional yeast until thick and 'cheesy'.
- Then, loosen adding water in 5 ml increments until the salad dressing is drizzling consistency.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!