A dairy-free, egg-free Caesar Salad that everyone can enjoy. The vegan dressing is every bit as creamy, thanks to cashews, olive oil and roasted garlic. And, a shortcut to roasting garlic in a fraction of the time. Serve with the smoky tempeh (optional) for a protein boost.
Bake croutons: Add bread to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Croutons will firm up slightly out of the oven.
Smoky Tempeh Cubes (optional)
Steam tempeh: Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and cook covered for 5 minutes. Drain tempeh.
Make marinade: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together tamari, maple syrup, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper.
Bake tempeh: Add drained tempeh to the bowl, toss to coat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer tempeh to a parchment-lined baking sheet (reserve extra marinade). Bake until tempeh is firm and golden brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Add tempeh back to the bowl of marinade and toss until the marinade is fully absorbed. Transfer tempeh back to baking sheet and bake for another 5 minutes.
Caesar Salad
Shortcut garlic: Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and garlic cloves (skin on) to a small pot over low heat. Cook for 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Then, flip the garlic cloves, and cook until the garlic feels tender when pressed with a fork, about another 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to peel away the garlic skins, revealing golden colored cloves.
Blend dressing: To a high speed blender, add garlic cloves, soaked cashews, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, caper brine, dijon mustard, and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add water in 1 tablespoon increments, until dressing is desired thickness. Season with pepper and more salt (if needed).
Assemble: Add lettuce to a large bowl. Add dressing in small increments, tossing until the lettuce is dressed to your liking. Add croutons and Smokey Tempeh Cubes (if using). Garnish with more pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
How to soak cashews: Cashews should be soaked until soft when squeezed between your fingertips. To soak cashews, either cover them with boiling water (soak for about 30 minutes) or cover them with room temperature water (soak for 6 to 8 hours).
Caper brine: The liquid in the jar of capers. Measure the capers and brine separately (measurements provided for each).
Make ahead tips: The dressing and smoky tempeh cubes can be made the night before (cover and refrigerate). The tempeh can be rewarmed in the oven while the croutons are baking the next day (just be sure to watch carefully as it will only take a few minutes). The salad should be dressed and tossed just before serving. If you don't plan to finish the whole batch of salad in one go, store the components separately and dress/toss smaller batches as you need them.