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Using my food scientist training, I’ve created a vegetarian Caesar salad that tastes just like the original without any anchovies! It’s ready in just 15 minutes and uses common grocery ingredients.
save this recipe!Whether you know it or not, Caesar dressing usually includes eggs and anchovies (the bacon of the sea). They add umami and savoriness that can be hard to replicate.
But that’s where this food scientist brain comes in! I’ve reverse-engineered that classic umami-rich flavor into something just as creamy, garlicky, and addictive…with zero fish in sight.
After testing a dozen tweaks (yogurt base, tamari tricks, even miso), this version wins on taste and ease. It’s ready in 15 minutes and totally foolproof…even if you’re usually a “just buy the bottle” kind of person.
Reader rating
“So good! Served it to the family and a guest and the salad was gobbled right up!!” —Jill
Tips from the test kitchen
- Blender > whisk: Emulsifies everything into a dreamy, pourable consistency.
- Make-ahead: Keep dressing and croutons separate to avoid sogginess.
- Vegan-friendly: Just swap in vegan mayo and a plant-based parmesan!
P.S. Love Caesar dressing? Make my roasted broccoli salad with tahini Caesar next!
Vegetarian Caesar Salad (No Anchovies!)
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil, 120 mL
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, 60 g
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese, 30 g
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 30 mL
- 1 ½ tsp dijon mustard, 7 g
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 5 heaping cups chopped romaine or mixed greens
- 2 cups croutons
- ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese, 60 g
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Add all Dressing ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth and creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Assemble: Roughly chop romaine or mixed greens. Toss together with croutons and parmesan. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat (you may not need all of the dressing).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!how to serve a caesar salad
Ok, I wanted to touch on not only what to serve with this salad but a fun way of how to use the salad.
- Vegetable Baked Ziti is an Italian classic that looks impressive and is the perfect family meal.
- Vegetarian Lasagna is almost as famous as the Caesar salad. This version is quick to make and delicious!
- Vegan Chicken Caesar Wrap uses tofu in place of chicken but you can also just toss this vegetarian salad in a wrap!
Many vegetarians eat cheese. If the recipe said vegan then that would have been cause for the comments. I think it was fine for you to use parmesan cheese.
Parmesan cheese is made from animal rennet.
Personally, as a vegetarian, I will not eat any cheese made with animal products. This includes gelatinous, as it is made from crushed animal bones.
So good! Served it to the family and a guest and the salad was gobbled right up!!
The perfect dressing!
Love the recipe, but you do know how Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian right? I used a vegetarian alternative or vegan alternative
Correct, be sure to use a vegetarian version for strict vegetarians! 😀
Just to clarify, as a strict vegetarian, not vegan, on the parmesan issue…. Many parmesan cheeses do contain rennet which make it technically non-vegetarian. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s both carry real parmesan (romano too Whole Foods!) in both grated powdered and freshly grated styles.
This definitely adds to the recipe so please add if you are a vegetarian! One of my favorite dressings!
Parmesan cheese IS vegetarian (lacto) made from milk, however, it is NOT vegan!
The salad was great, but i wasn’t a fan of the dressing.
This is so good. I made it for a party and got tons of compliments. But I have no idea how this is 4 servings? It’s way more.
Please……Parmesan Cheese is not Vegetarian. It contains animal rennit. There are ‘Italian Style Hard Cheeses’ available widely which are Veggie, but they are forbidden from calling it “Parmesan”.
Pecorino cheese is a great alternative to parmesan for the vegetarians that might want to try this recipe 🙂
My family loved this!
I’m so happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀