Sweet, slow roasted garlic adds a delicious twist to the traditional Caesar dressing! Even better than that, it's completely dairy free and nutritionally beneficial. Simple and decadent, try this recipe next time you are craving this classic dish!
This Caesar salad dressing recipe is one that I have been tweaking and perfecting for years now and I think I have finally nailed it! The recipe is 100% plant-powered, gluten-free, and can be made oil-free by omitting the vegan mayo and roasting the garlic without olive oil.
The roasted garlic is what really makes this Caesar dressing special. I have made the recipe with raw garlic before and it still tastes amazing but can be pretty pungent for the faint of heart. Although roasting the garlic takes a while, it is completely worth the time and energy. It gives the dressing a subtle sweetness and a depth that cannot be accomplished without roasting the garlic first. Plus, the left over, gooey amazingness that is roasted garlic can be used for other recipes afterwards. I love spreading it on toast with some tomatoes and basil, or add it to your favorite pasta recipe!
While the garlic is roasting, you can soak your cashews! Cashews are an amazing little nut with the ability to mock a "cream" when soaked in water and blended at high speeds. Although they have a higher fat content than some nuts, the majority of the fats are monounsaturated which are a healthy form of fat that does not clog arteries like saturated fat. Cashews also have an abundance of multiple vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin K, B6, Copper, Manganese, and Magnesium. Also fairly high in protein, these nuts are little power houses.
As for the other ingredients, the combination of the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, add that tangy, "dairy" like flavor to make it taste like a traditional Caesar dressing. The vegan mayo adds an extra layer of creaminess and richness to the cashew cream. Everything combined makes this Caesar dressing the best vegan Caesar dressing I have ever had! Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!
I always serve this dressing on a bed of crunchy romaine hearts with croutons and vegan parmesan. I make the croutons out of a French baguette or you can find a bag of dairy-free croutons from the produce aisle of your local grocery store. The vegan parmesan brand that I love is the follow your heart shredded parmesan. Don't forget a little extra dressing on the side! Bon Appétit!
Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Servings: 32 Category: Salad dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bulb garlic
2 cups cashews, raw and soaked
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (205 °C)
2. Cut off the top of the garlic bulb, drizzle olive oil on top with a sprinkle of salt. Wrap in foil and roast in oven for 40 minutes.
3. Heat up some water on the stove and pour over cashews in a bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes.
4. After cashews have soaked, strain and rinse with cold water, set aside and let cool.
5. After 40 minutes in the over, take garlic out and uncover. bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Once the garlic is done, remove 4-6 cloves for the dressing.
7. Place all ingredients into blender and blend in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, until smooth. **
8. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 10 days. **
Notes
**If you do not have a high speed blender, you can still use a regular blender but it will need to blend for longer and might not be as smooth.
**If you do not expect to use all 4 cups of dressing within 10 days, you can cut the recipe in half or even jar some up and give to friends.
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