Homemade Caesar Dressing: Without Anchovies
Rich and creamy homemade caesar dressing is super simple to make. It’s also ready in minutes. This recipe has no anchovies, no eggs, no dairy, no nuts and no added oil, but it’s oh so delicious. Perfect for a vegetarian or vegan caesar salad, but so much else besides.
Unusually for us, we’ve been out to eat a couple of times recently. The venues were different, but I noted that both had caesar salad on the menu. It’s more popular than I realised.
As caesar salad is made with anchovies, it’s off the menu for vegetarians. That is, unless you ask the chef to swap the dressing for something else. This made me think it was time I came up with my own take on a caesar dressing – a plant-based one.
Dive Right In
- What Is Caesar Salad?
- Why Make Caesar Dressing?
- Homemade Vegan Caesar Dressing
- Ingredients
- How To Make Caesar Dressing Without Anchovies
- What Can You Use Homemade Caesar Dressing For?
- Other Veganised Recipes You Might Like
- Keep In Touch
- The Recipe
What Is Caesar Salad?
Caesar salad is one of the most popular salads in the USA. Credit is generally given to Caesar Cardini for its invention on the 4th July 1924. He owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico which was popular with Americans. One day, having little in the kitchen to serve, he made a dressing and served it with lettuce leaves to dip into it. It was an immediate hit.
The dressing was made with coddled eggs, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Crucially the original dressing did not include anchovies. It was, however, made with a little Worcestershire sauce. And this sauce does contain anchovies. So if you’re vegetarian or catering for vegetarians ensure you use a vegetarian version.
Modern versions now include anchovies, mustard and sometimes Parmesan cheese. Lemon juice has replaced the original lime and instead of coddled eggs, it’s now made with raw egg yolks.
My dressing contains neither anchovies nor Worcestershire sauce. Nor eggs, come to that.
As for the caesar salad we all know and love now, it’s still very simple. It’s made with crisp lettuce leaves, croutons, shavings of Parmesan cheese and maybe, but not always, an additional protein such as chicken pieces or bacon.
Why Make Vegan Caesar Dressing?
Making caesar dressing without anchovies or eggs creates a fully plant-based version. This allows greater inclusivity and caters to various dietary preferences and restrictions.
- Allergy Concerns – Anchovies are high in histamine and are also a common allergen. Not only does this recipe avoid anchovies, but it is also dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and nut-free.
- Fun In The Kitchen – It’s fun creating a plant-based version of traditional Caesar dressing. You can follow my recipe exactly or explore alternative ingredients. I’ve made a few suggestions.
- Healthy – Whilst there are still plenty of calories in this dressing, my plant-based version contains healthier fats compared to the traditional one made with egg yolks and oil.
- Quick and Easy – This homemade caesar dressing takes all of five minutes to put together. As long as you have a food processor or blender it’s a really easy way to add flavour to your salad.
- Vegan or Vegetarian Diet – Many people follow a vegan or vegetarian diet for ethical, environmental or health reasons. As this recipe omits anchovies and Worcestershire sauce from the dressing, it promptly becomes a plant-based dressing that everyone can enjoy.
Homemade Vegan Caesar Dressing
This plant-based caesar dressing is both creamy and full of flavour. It’s a little darker than you might expect, because I’ve used tahini to make it, but don’t let that put you off. You can whip up a batch in minutes and use it to create any number of deliciously satisfying meals.
I’ve tried to go for an all inclusive dressing so I’m using tahini to replace the eggs; capers and tamari to replace the anchovies and Worcestershire sauce; and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese. This makes my homemade caesar dressing vegan, nut-free and oil-free.
It’s brilliant as a make ahead dressing that you can use to pep up all sorts of dishes. See the section on what can you use homemade caesar dressing for further down the post.
Ingredients
For a plant-based version of caesar salad you need something to replace the salty umami anchovies something to replace the Parmesan cheese and something to replace the creamy fatty egg yolks.
Garlic, mustard, lemon juice and black pepper are classic ingredients in a caesar dressing, so I’m not going to go into detail about those here. There’s no need for any added salt as tamari is already quite salty as are the capers.
When it comes to mustard, dijon mustard is the one that most recipes employ, but I tend to have English mustard in the fridge, so that’s what I used.
Capers
Capers make a surprisingly good substitute for anchovies. They’re both salty and packed with umami notes. We use both the capers and some of the brine they come with.
For other anchovy substitutes take a look at this post.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is a vegan’s best friend. As the name suggests, it’s very nutritious and contains, protein, various vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants. It has savoury cheesy notes and I’ve used it in this recipe to replace Parmesan cheese. But crucially, it’s fortified with vitamin B12, which is hard to find on a vegan diet.
If you don’t have any or can’t find it, there are alternatives. Find out what you can substitute for nutritional yeast in this handy post.
Tahini
Tahini makes up the bulk of the sauce. It provides protein, flavour and creaminess and sort of stands in for the eggs and oil used in a more traditional recipe.
Some people use vegan mayonnaise instead and some opt for cashew nuts. Both give a different flavour profile, but they are lighter in colour than tahini and thus look more traditional.
Tamari
Tamari is the queen of soy sauces. It has the best flavour and usually less salt than other alternatives. But it has the added advantage of being gluten-free. It’s more expensive than most of the others, but a little goes a long way.
If you’re allergic to soy you need to avoid tamari. In this case you can use coconut aminos instead. I’ve never tried it, but I’m assured by others that it makes a very acceptable alternative.
How To Make Caesar Dressing Without Anchovies
Caesar dressing without anchovies is one of those gorgeously easy recipes you can put together in five minutes or less. As long as you have a food processor or blender you’re good to go. If not, you can still make it, but it will take a bit longer.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions, timings and quantities of ingredients used.
Step 1. Prepare Ingredients
Squeeze the lemon juice into a mini food processor or small blender. Roughly chop the garlic and add that too. Add the remaining ingredients, but not all of the water. You may or may not need it.
Step 2. Blend
Blend for a minute or two or until you have a smooth, creamy and light coloured mixture. You may need to scrape down the sides once or twice. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon or more of water. A lot depends on the brand of tahini you use.
The dressing should have the consistency of double cream (heavy cream). However, you might prefer it thicker or runnier. Just keep going, or not, until you get your desired consistency.
If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can use a stick blender instead. Alternatively, do it by hand and use a bowl and whisk.
For the latter method, you’ll need to mince or finely grate the garlic first. Chop the capers as finely as you can too. Whisk everything together until you have a lovely creamy sauce, adding the water as needed.
Step 3. Serve or Store
Use immediately to dress a caesar salad or for whatever else you have planned for it. Alternatively store in a sealed glass container in the fridge until you need it. In any case it’s likely you’ll have more than you require, so you’ll need to store the leftovers for another day.
Top Tips
If you don’t have a nut allergy, you can swap the tahini for cashew nuts. Soak them in water overnight or for at least six hours, then drain and blitz along with the other ingredients. Cashews give a more neutral flavour.
For a lighter texture, if soy isn’t an issue, use vegan mayonnaise instead. You won’t need to add nearly as much water.
If whisking by hand, warm water rather than cold will make the process easier.
Caesar dressing stores reasonable well. Transfer it to a lidded glass jar and pop it in the fridge. It will keep for at least seven days. When you’re ready to use it, give it a good stir. If it’s too thick whisk in a little warm water.
What Can You Use Homemade Caesar Dressing For?
Caesar dressing is obviously essential for caesar salad. Use it to dress crisp green romaine or cos lettuce leaves, crunchy croutons and shavings of vegetarian Parmesan type cheese.
However, you can put this homemade vegan version to good use in lots of other ways too. Here are a few ideas:
- Dip for Crudités – Serve the dressing in a bowl as a dipping sauce for a vegetable platter. It pairs well with raw veggies like carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cauliflower florets and celery.
- Flavour Boost for Cooked Vegetables – Use to coat steamed or roasted vegetables. Toss roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, boiled Brussels sprouts or carrots in the dressing before serving for an extra burst of flavour.
- Grain Bowl Topping – Drizzle the dressing over grain bowls or Buddha bowls for added flavour. It pairs well with grains like quinoa, brown rice or freekah.
- Marinade for Tofu or Tempeh – Use the dressing as a marinade for tofu or tempeh. Marinate the tofu or tempeh for at least thirty minutes before grilling or air frying to infuse it with body, flavour and moisture.
- Pasta Salad Dressing – Use as a dressing for pasta salad. Toss cooked pasta with lots of chopped fresh herbs and olives, then coat everything in the dressing for a delicious and satisfying dish. Great for potlucks and buffet style meals.
- Potato Salad Dressing – Use the vegan Caesar dressing as a creamy dressing for potato salad. It adds a unique twist to a classic potato salad recipe.
- Sandwich Spread – Make it slightly thicker and you can use it as a flavoursome spread for sandwiches and wraps. It adds creaminess and pizazz to veggie-filled wraps, sandwiches or bean burgers.
Other Veganised Recipes You Might Like
- Beer battered tofish
- Cheesy cashew nut sauce
- Easy vegan haggis
- Vegan bánh mi
- Vegan pigs in blankets
- Vegan schnitzel
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try this homemade caesar dressing, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for vegan swaps?
Please rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more dressing recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Homemade Caesar Dressing
Homemade Caesar Dressing: Without Anchovies
Ingredients
- ½ cup light tahini (125ml or 7 tbsp)
- 2 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp capers along with 1 tsp of their brine
- 1 ½ tsp English mustard can use Dijon mustard instead
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link) or coconut aminos
- ½ lemon (about 2 tbsp) – juiced
- 4-8 tbsp water
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients, but only 4 tbsp of the water, in a mini food processor or small blender.½ cup light tahini, 2 clove garlic, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp capers, 1 ½ tsp English mustard, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link), ½ lemon, 4-8 tbsp water
- Blend for a minute or two or until you have a smooth, creamy and light coloured mixture. Scrape down the sides if necessary and blend again. You may need to add another tablespoon or four of water to get your desired consistency. I used eight tablespoons in the caesar dressing you can see here.
- Use immediately or store in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to a week.
Your use of tahini and capers is brilliant!! 🙂 This is my new favorite dressing! Thank you!
So glad you like it Meg and thanks for letting us know. It’s a firm favourite with us too.
What a delicious homemade dressing! Love that I can make this myself without buying store-bought ones.
Once you start making your own dressings, you probably won’t want to go back to the store-bought ones. They’re so easy to make.
This looks so delicious and i love the fact that they are without anchovies. This would go perfectly with so many options and saving to try soon.
Hope you like it Molly. It’s quite a versatile dressing and does indeed go with lots of things.
Love a good caesar dressing, this one looks extra special with the added tahini! yum!
The tahini sort of stands in for the eggs found in conventional caesar dressing, but it also adds a lovely flavour.
We love Caesar salad. Homemade dressings are the best. So glad it does not contain anchovies, I am not a fan of them.
Totally agree that homemade dressings are the best. You can make them just how you like them and they’re always so nice and fresh.
This is very handy dressing because if I have vegetarian guests I can tell them ‘hand on heart’ that I have made them a completely vegetarian meal.
I’m sure we will enjoy this too.
Thanks Choclette
Mary :))
Well I guess it rather depends what you put in the salad Mary. But yes, it’s super easy to make it vegetarian.
This looks like a real useful recipe, elegantly simple and useful in all sorts of meals. I live in a vegetarian household so I will definitely be trying this in the near future.
It’s a really useful dressing, but do try it on a caesar salad too.