Roasted veggies and fresh kale are tossed with creamy vegan avocado Caesar dressing, and then sprinkled with bright red cabbage shreds, toasted pumpkin seeds and smokey tempeh bacon. Enjoy as a satisfying entree salad or as a hearty side!
We love this vegan Caesar salad for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. The first time I made it, my son wasn’t quite two years old and he wolfed down two big bowls of it. It’s a winner! This salad is a great lunch to make ahead, just store the dressing in a separate air-tight container. No need to reheat the roasted veggies, they are so good chilled or at room temperature when they are mixed with kale and slathered in this creamy avocado Caesar dressing!
What is in Vegan Caesar Dressing?
Traditional Caesar salad dressing is not vegan or vegetarian because it contains eggs and anchovies. While there are many plant-based ways to make it, today we’re making vegan Caesar dressing the simplest way possible. This Caesar dressing takes under 5 minutes to make and has only a handful of ingredients:
- Avocado gets things luscious and creamy
- Lemon juice for acidity
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce provides some of those classic savory and sweet Caesar salad flavors without the use of anchovies
- Garlic – would it be Caesar salad without lots of garlic?
- A bit of vegan mayonnaise adds a bit more fullness and zip
How to Make Roasted Vegetable and Kale Vegan Caesar Salad:
- Roast the veggies. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients:
- Pan fry the tempeh bacon
- Blend up the ingredients for the vegan Caesar dressing
I’ve used some of our favorite veggies that tend to be more filling and are so good roasted: potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli. The tempeh replaces croutons and adds some extra nutritional value. That said, croutons on top of the salad would also be amazing. Purple cabbage adds some extra crunch and color. Additional fresh veggies like sweet bell pepper and cucumber would also be yummy in this vegan salad. The avocado vegan Caesar dressing is delicious on every vegetable you can think of!
More Delicious Vegan Salads and Vegetable Packed Meals:
Herby Farro Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Hummus
Vegan Asparagus and Pesto Cashew Cheese Tart with Lemon Arugula
Sautéed Veggie, Quinoa, and Lentil Salad
Portobello, Broccoli, Chickpea and Grain Salad with Fresh Lemon Basil Dressing
If you make this Roasted Vegetable & Kale Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing, please give it a rating in the recipe card and leave a comment below! Follow along on Instagram and can tag me in your creations using my recipes. I love seeing what you’re cooking! You can also follow me on Pinterest for vegan recipe inspiration. Thank you for joining me!
Roasted Vegetable & Kale Salad with Vegan Avocado Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 2 medium potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces (with or without skins) (or 15 oz baby potatoes cut in half)
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 large broccoli crown, cut into bite size pieces
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
For the Avocado Caesar Dressing and the Rest of the Salad:
- 1 large avocado (or 2 small) (about 1 cup mashed)
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 tbsp vegan mayo
- 2-4 tbsp water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 6-8 cups kale, (baby kale or deveined, chopped kale)
- 1 pack tempeh bacon
- 4 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (or toasted sunflower seeds)
- avocado slices, if desired
Instructions
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the potatoes and cauliflower on the baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil and a tsp of salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through, tossing once or twice during roasting to ensure even cooking. On a second baking sheet, place the broccoli florets and drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Roast for 10-15 minutes on a rack beneath the potatoes and cauliflower, tossing once during roasting. Remove from oven and let them come to room temperature. While the veggies are roasting, pan fry your tempeh according to package directions. Let the tempeh cool before either chopping into 3/4" pieces or crumbling with your hands.
For the Avocado Caesar Dressing and Assembling the Salad:
- Combine all the salad dressing ingredients in a food processor, start out with 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbsp water. Blend until smooth. Add more of the vegan Worcestershire sauce to taste and lemon juice or water to the desired consistency – don't go too thin or the salad will be soggy, it's nice to be thick enough to coat your veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste, blending after the additions.
- Place the kale and roasted vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Top with the tempeh crumbles, cabbage shreds, pumpkin seeds, and avocado slices (if using).
Nutrition Info:
Notes:
The Nutrition Information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the Nutrition Information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
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This recipe was first published on Crumbs & Caramel June 08, 2018. The post has been updated with improved educational value and fresh images.