This is my all time favorite Vegan Caesar Dressing! So creamy and ready in just 5 minutes, this is a simple salad dressing you need in your fridge at all times.
5-minute vegan caesar salad dressing
Can you believe this Vegan Caesar Dressing tastes just like the real thing? It’s ultra-creamy with hints of briny, garlicky, and umami flavors. Made with a cashew cream base and a handful of simple ingredients, it’s a must-have vegan salad dressing.
A traditional caesar dressing is made with egg yolks, anchovies, garlic, and parmesan cheese. This recipe replicates the same rich flavors and textures of the classic, but without any oil, eggs, anchovies, or vegan mayonnaise. How great is that?
In my opinion, no vegan caesar salad or kale caesar salad is complete without it. You can even put out a bowl as a delicious dip for vegan pizza, vegetables, cauliflower wings, and more! There’s never a bad time for caesar dressing.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Cashews – Raw, unsalted cashew pieces are best. When soaked in water and blended, they transform this dressing into a luxurious and creamy sauce. If you need a nut free version, I include a vegan mayo based recipe as well.
- Water
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard – Regular yellow mustard may work instead but you won’t achieve the same level of depth that dijon provides.
- Capers – Think of capers as mini olives. They’re briny and pack a punch, making them one of the best substitutes for the anchovies you’d find in a classic caesar dressing.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce – Optional, but a delicious and umami-boosting addition. Soy sauce or tamari may work as a substitute.
- Salt
How to make vegan caesar dressing
Find the instructions with the full ingredients list, measurements, and directions on the recipe card below.
Begin by soaking the cashew pieces in hot water. If you have a powerful blender, you will only need to do this for about 5 or 10 minutes.
Drain the water and add the cashews to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and some fresh water.
Blend the dressing until it’s very smooth and creamy.
Once it’s ready, serve the cashew caesar dressing with caesar salad topped with vegan croutons and vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Besides using it as a creamy salad dressing, you can use caesar dressing as a:
- Dip – For vegetables, vegan pizza, potato wedges, grilled vegetables, and cauliflower wings.
- Spread – Grab a knife and spread some of the dressing on vegan burgers and sandwiches.
- Sauce – Use it as a replacement for red pizza sauce on vegan pizza, use it in macaroni salad, potato salad, or even in creamy vegan coleslaw. Or make caesar wraps with vegan chicken, lettuce and parmesan.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you make it without nuts? Yes, you can make the dressing with 3/4 cup of vegan mayonnaise instead of cashews and water. For an oil free and nut free caesar dressing, make this recipe with my vegan tofu mayonnaise.
- Do you have to have a high powered blender? A blender with a powerful motor (like a Vitamix) does help, but it isn’t necessary. If using a regular blender, soak the cashews longer (or even overnight) and blend the dressing for a little longer as well.
- How long does vegan Caesar salad dressing last? The dressing keeps for about 1 week in the refrigerator when stored in a covered container (glass preferred).
- Is it freezer-friendly? Yes, it freezes quite well!
Want more vegan salad dressings?
- Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
- Best Homemade Vegan Ranch
- Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
- Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing
Vegan Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashew pieces in hot water for 5 minutes. I heat up water in my electric kettle and pour it over the cashews to soak. If you don't have a high powered blender, you should soak them longer, several hours or overnight in order to get them very soft.
- Drain the cashews and add to your blender. Add the remaining ingredients, including 3/4 cup fresh water, and blend until very smooth.
- Serve with chopped romaine/kale or a mix, with vegan croutons and optional Vegan Parmesan for a delicious Caesar salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dressing will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, and can be frozen.
- Mayo version – If you can’t have nuts, you can substitute 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (store bought or homemade) for the cashews and water. You will still need to blend in order to get the capers smooth. Or try my tofu mayonnaise if you want an oil free nut free recipe.
I love this dressing.. it is really delicious when it is on the kale. I didnt have capers, but subbed pepporincini brine. This is my new favorite dressing!
Hi Julie. I’m thrilled this is your new favorite dressing! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Great recipe! I used the Mayo version because I was having a cashew based creamy pasta to go with it so I didn’t want the whole meal to be cashew based. It was delicious and super easy to make! My new go to dressing. Thanks!
Hi Jacqui. I’m so happy this will be your go to dressing recipe! How fantastic you found it delicious and easy! Thanks for taking time to share your great feedback!
This is hands down the best caesar dressing! Every time I serve this everyone swoons over it and they have no idea that is doesn’t have any animal products whatsoever. I’m so happy that I found this recipe.
This just might be the best dressing I’ve ever tasted! I used the vegan mayo variation since I had cashews in another part of the dish, and it was absolutely heavenly. I could eat salad all day if it was dressed in this. Thank you!
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you loved the recipe and thank you for your wonderful review!
Truly delicious chocolate chip cookies.
Keep these wonderful recipes coming!
Thanks for this dressing recipe, Nora.
I learn so much from you. For example, your explanation of the ingredients always describes how each one affects the outcome as well as alternatives, which informs my overall understanding of how to cook.
As someone who doesn’t seem to have an instinctual understanding of making things taste good, this is so very useful. I consider it a blessing, actually. Thank you again!
You’re so welcome, Terre! Thank you for your wonderful comment 🙂 I’m so happy my explanations are helping you become a better cook!
Hi Nora, thank you for this recipe. I’m always on the lookout for good homemade salad dressings and caesar dressing is one of my favorites. I’ve been a vegetarian for 5 years and am now beginning my journey to becoming vegan. I’m not a fan of capers but would certainly use them in this recipe. But I’m afraid I wouldn’t use them for anything else. Is there a good substitute for them in this recipe? Thank you.
You’re so welcome, Lea. This dressing is a great staple to keep in your fridge as you move through your vegan journey 🙂 Jarred capers do store well in the fridge for a long time but you can always leave them out or replace them with green olives, pickle brine, or more lemon juice.
Nora, I have made pretty much everything you post. I have to tell you…..you are the BOMB. you are amazing on the way you turn food into enjoyment without guilt! Nothing is bland or boring .Thank you for sharing your talent..God Bless you!! Sincerely Diana Caravallo
Thank you so much, Diana! Your amazing feedback means the world to me 🙂
This is my go to salad dressing!!!! I have searched and searched for a salad dressing that actually tastes close to a salad dressing and this one is the best!!!
I’m so glad you love the dressing! Thank you for sharing your great review and comments!
I love your recipes and this one is no exception. It’s delicious as written and also very versatile for modifying to personal tastes, which makes me love it even more! Based on the comments, I added nutritional yeast + ground black pepper + more capers because I love them. When I used the sauce on a caesar-style salad, I loved it like this, and when I used it on a green salad with lots of other vegetables, I added more lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper while decreasing the Worcestershire sauce. Thank you, again, for all of your great recipes. I tell all of my friends about your blog because you can never go wrong with one of your recipes!
Hi Ashley. Thank you for your kind and encouraging feedback! I’m so glad that you are enjoying the dressing, as well as my other recipes! It sounds like you make some great variations of the dressing! I appreciate you sharing my site with your friends! Wishing you happy cooking!
Best cashew-based dressing we’ve ever had. I broke the vegan cardinal rule and used regular Worcestershire sauce.
I am glad you love the dressing! Thank you for sharing your review!
I left out the capers because I don’t care for them and used soy sauce instead of vegan Worcestershire sauce and added a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Served over a mix of kale and romaine with homemade croutons. SO GOOD!!!
Thank you for sharing you review Kylie! I’m glad you love the dressing!
loved it, but I added more garlic and 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast. tasted like caesar dressjng, Ive tried a few other recipes and havent come close to the taste . So thanks again for amazing easy recipe.
Glad you loved the dressing, Kaye. Thank you for sharing your comments!
What do I do if I don’t have any Dijon mustard? I love this recipe and everyone I know does too. I make it for people all the time!
You can totally leave it out, it will still be good! Thanks so much, I’m glad to hear that!
I liked this dressing, although I felt like the lemon juice and dijon mustard were a bit too strong in flavour – so I’d go a bit easy on that next time. With all that being said, though – I LOVE your recipes and am so grateful for them as a new vegan! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much! Feel free to adjust to your own tastes. 🙂
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST! This Caesar Dressing is better than any bottled dressing-vegan or cow’s milk based! Delicious and so easy to make.
Thanks so much!
How long is this good for in the fridge? Thanks!
About 4-5 days. Thanks!
This was Really Good!
I didn’t have Capers so substituted Kalamata Olives and
probably will continue with that combo. I used a standard blender with a very high speed and the dressing came out very creamy. We’ve had it 3 nights in a row now and are loving it. Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
This dressing is AMAZING thank you for sharing, this has been on repeat at our house!
You’re welcome! Glad you like it!
Delicious! And so easy to make
Thanks!
Best vegan Caesar salad dressing I’ve ever made. Easiest too!
That’s wonderful! I love hearing that.
Just made this recipe. It’s amazingly creamy & yummy! Can’t wait to have it tonight with my buffalo cauliflower “wings”. ThNk you and Happy New Year ?
You’re welcome! Glad it was great!
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I watched a non vegan one and then compared it to your recipe to see what the flavor profiles of Cesar dressing are. I used mayo instead of the cashew+ water (because I’m on a budget) and I added 1/4 cup of Follow Your Heart parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Blended it all in my smoothie blender. I think either there was too much lemon or mustard to my liking. It was a bit citrus-y for me. Lol I would just add less lemon juice next time per my personal taste. I appreciate you and your blog so very much. Thank you for doing what you do! For sharing your knowledge and expertise and filling us with this knowledge and love (I say love because you are sharing your recipe, even though you don’t have to). Have a wonderful day!
Thanks so much for the comment!
I’ve made several vegan caesar dressings and this one is by far the best and reminiscent of the non vegan version. Great recipe!
Thanks so much! This comment means a lot. 🙂
This is such a great recipe! Simple and so DELICIOUS!! I’ve been looking for a good vegan Caesar dressing and this is it!
This was delicious! My new favorite dressing! Thank you!