Vegan Caesar Salad

A more nutritious version of the fan favorite. Switched out croutons for chickpeas and added some tofu for a plant-based protein boost! This recipe remains vegan since there is no parmesan cheese, but do you & feel free to edit however you like.

what to grab

notes: making 1 block of tofu & 1 can chickpeas usually lasts me ~3 salads. Totally depends on your hunger that day, but that is a rough estimate if you are making this.

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  • 1 block (14 oz) organic extra firm tofu

  • 1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed & pat dry)

  • Olive oil

  • Onion powder

  • Garlic powder

  • Nutritional yeast

  • Italian lettuce mix (romaine & raddichio shown here)

  • Persian cucumber, sliced

  • Vegan Caesar salad dressing (I used the Trader Joe’s Vegan dressing to keep this plant based, you can use whatever you like)

what to do

  1. Place the tofu between two dish towels on a plate. Place something heavy on top (can use the can of chickpeas or a cast iron skillet - anything that will weigh down the tofu). Let sit for ~20 minutes.

  2. While the tofu is draining, preheat the oven to 425 F.

  3. Once the tofu is drained, cut into strips. Add the tofu to a sheet pan with the chickpeas. Add olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder and nutritional yeast. Spread the tofu and chickpeas so they are as separate as possible (if you crowd the pan, they will steam instead of getting crispy; you may need two pans depending on the size).

  4. Place in the oven and bake for ~25-30 minutes. Flip the tofu halfway through & give the chickpeas a shake to crisp both sides.

  5. While the tofu/chickpeas bake, prep the salad. Place the lettuces and cucumber in a bowl.

  6. Once the tofu/chickpeas are done, let cool for a few minutes. Then add to the salad bowl. Mix in desired amount of dressing. Option to add more nutritional yeast or top with some real parmesan if you want it (will no longer be vegan)! ENJOY :)