You might not believe from my posts that I was once not the biggest fan of salads. When I first when vegetarian and vegan, it seemed to me that the typical response when I would ask what the vegan option was at a restaurant or party was “oh, well, we have a salad?” (And sometimes even the salad wasn’t actually vegan or vegetarian!)

Because of those experiences, salads used to annoy the heck out of me. I absolutely used to refuse to ever order a salad when I was out and would never voluntarily make them for myself at home. So, as you can tell, a lot has changed! Now, there are (usually) at least a few vegan options at a restaurant besides a salad and even if there is only a salad offered at a party, it’s usually something other than just a garden salad. Over time, my fiery loathing of salads has dimmed quite a bit.

In fact, I make different kinds of salads quite regularly now (check out my chickpea salad, egg salad, cole slaw, or watermelon kale salad). I also remembered one of my favorite salads as a kid that my dad would make pretty regularly – Caesar Salad!

Of course, back then, I wasn’t eating a vegan version. But I knew I had to give a vegan version a try once I started thinking about how delicious my dad’s was growing up (although I’m fairly certain he didn’t make homemade dressing or croutons, which I’ve included here, it goes to show that you can definitely have a delicious meal even if everything isn’t homemade).

The recipe I’ve created here definitely scratched the itch of the one my dad used to make, and it’s fairly easy to make. I recommend pressing your tofu while your busy with something else and letting it sit and then coming back to it when you’re ready to dive into cooking. Then, you’ll make your crispy tofu and bake both that and the croutons in the oven. Lastly, the dressing is super easy: just boil some cashews and blend all of the ingredients together.

You can also make your own homemade parmesan for this recipe or use a store-bought vegan one. If you’d like to make your own, give my recipe a try. It’s very easy to make as well and takes just 5 minutes pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor until fine and crumbly:

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1.5 tsp salt
.25 tsp garlic powder

You can store the parmesan in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks. One note is that it’s very important for your food processor to be fully dry before you add your ingredients, or your parmesan will turn to mush instead of a fine crumble texture.

This recipe is the perfect way to get that classic Caesar Salad, but veganized. I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

vegan caesar salad with crispy tofu strips

Print Recipe

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Strips

This recipe pairs crispy tofu strips seasoned to perfection with creamy Caesar dressing that coats fresh kale leaves. It makes a perfect salad for a weeknight meal with optional homemade croutons and parmesan cheese toppings.

Prep Time1 20

Cook Time40

Total Time2

Course: Main Course, Salad

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, easy vegan meals, easy vegan recipe, vegan caesar salad, vegan salad

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

tofu press*
blender

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu Strips

1 package extra firm tofu** usually around 14 oz
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Croutons

2 slices bread cut into chunks
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt
dash of pepper & garlic powder

Caesar Dressing

1 cup cashews raw, unsalted
½ cup water
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp capers
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp parmesan either homemade (see above) or store-bought
1½ tbsp vegetable broth
salt & pepper to taste

Other Ingredients

kale stems removed, amount as desired for salads (at least 1½ cups per salad)
parmesan as desired for a topping

Instructions

Crispy Tofu

Press the tofu using the tofu press (or see note below) for approximately 1 hour. If using a tofu press, increase the pressure on the tofu every 15 minutes so the tofu releases as much water as possible.
Once the tofu is pressed, preheat the oven to 415°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tofu block to create strips about 2 inches long and ⅛-¼ inch thick. The thinner the strips, the crispier the tofu.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Add the oil to a small plate. Mix the seasoning and cornstarch in a small bowl and then place on a plate.
Coat the tofu in the oil and then the seasoning blend. Place each strip on the baking sheet. You may need to use a bit more oil or create more of the seasoning blend if you run out.
Once all of tofu is coated, place the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the tofu over after 20 minutes. You can cook for longer if needed to achieve desired crispiness.

Croutons

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl so the bread gets coated in the the oil and seasoning.
Add to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer and place in the oven with the crispy tofu.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crispy.

Caesar Dressing (yields approx. 1 cup)

Boil the cashews in water for 15 minutes.
Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Assemble the salads by pouring the dressing over the kale and adding the croutons and crsipy tofu strips. Sprinkle parmesan on top if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you don't have a tofu press, you can place your tofu on a dish towel covered plate and place another plate on top of it. Place something heavy on top of the plate covering the tofu, like a cookbook or large bowl. Swap out the towel occasionally during the hour the tofu is being pressed.

**If your grocery store is out of extra firm tofu, you can use regular firm tofu, but it may not come out as crispy.

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