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–+ servings
For the longest time, caesar salad was one of my top restaurant orders. It didn’t matter if it was a starter or main, if it was on the menu, I wanted it. It was also one of the dishes I really missed with plant-based eating, so after a few years of lamenting the lack of good vegan caesar dressings on the market, I finally decided to just make my own!
For this dish, I decided to take caesar salad one step further and add pasta! Say hello to the pasta salad you never knew you needed: crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy herb and garlic croutons, smoky tofu “bacon” crumbles, and creamy cashew caesar dressing, all tossed with chewy penne and garnished with homemade Almond Parm.
A bowl of vegan pasta caesar salad made to a dairy-free recipe
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Servings5 people

Ingredients

For the dressing
  • 1 cup (146g) whole raw cashews, soaked in water
  • ½ cup (120ml) cold water
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ½  tsp flaked sea salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp (8g) almond parm
  • 1 tbsp (18g) white miso paste
For the garlic croutons
  • 2 thick slices sourdough bread (or other rustic, crusty loaf)
  • 2½ tbsp (38 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for tossing pasta
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or ½ tsp dried parsley and ¼ tsp each dried oregano and basil)
  • ½ tsp flaked sea salt
For the Salad
  • 6 oz (170 g) dried penne or fusilli
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce, ripped or chopped
  • ½ cup (120 ml) cashew caesar dressing, plus more to taste
To Serve
  • ½ cup (75g) tofu bacon crumbles
  • Almond Parm
  • Pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the dressing

  • Soak the cashews in water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour if you’re pressed for time. 
  • Drain the water and add the cashews to a blender, along with the cold water and the rest of the ingredients for the dressing.
  • Blend until smooth, then transfer to a jar and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
  • You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

For the croutons

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Cut the bread into large cubes or rip it into chunks. 
  • Add them to a mixing bowl, along with the olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. 
  • Toss well so the bread is evenly coated in the seasoning, then spread across a large baking tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crunchy, flipping the croutons halfway through.
  • Let them cool completely before adding to the salad.

Make the salad

  • Put the pasta on to cook in a pot of boiling, salted water. 
  • Cook to al dente or a little softer, if you prefer, then drain and rinse with cold water, until the pasta is completely cool. 
  • Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with a little olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
  • Add the lettuce to the bowl with the pasta, then toss with the dressing, until everything is well coated. Feel free to add more if you like.
  • Add ½ of the croutons and fold into the salad, along with ½ of the Tofu Bacon Crumbles.
  • If you’re serving the salad in individual bowls, divide the salad and top each bowl with more croutons, Tofu Bacon Crumbles, and Almond Parm. 
  • Otherwise, transfer it to a serving bowl and add the rest of the garnishes to the whole salad.
  • Add pepper to finish it off and dig in!