Caesar Salad – dairy-free and egg-free

By lucylox on January 1, 2025

You may think that a caesar salad is the last thing that would be on the menu if you're dairy-free, egg-free and veggie. After all, the caesar salad is essentially lettuce with an egg and fish based dressing served with cheese. But if you use my egg-free and dairy-free, vegan caesar dressing, this salad can become part of your regular dishes.

Vegetarian version

I use plant-based mayonnaise to give the body you get from the egg yolks to the dressing and Henderson's relish to give the umami tang you'd get from the anchovies. In case you haven't come across Henderson's Relish it's the Sheffield brewed sauce that has strong similarities to Worcestershire sauce but with no anchovies so it's vegan and vegetarian.

Caesar dressing

This salad is great as it is with romaine or little gem lettuce, croutons and the dressing. But you can also make versions to suit individual tastes:

For the vegan: add avocado, red pepper and onion crispies, or perhaps vegan cheese shavings.

For the vegetarian: add the vegan additions plus shavings of Italian hard cheese (the veggie version of parmesan)

For the dairy-free meat eater: add griddled, seasoned chicken and/or bacon.

For the dairy-free fish eater: add flaked salmon and/or anchovies

For the eat everything person: add shaved parmesan, griddled chicken and bacon

For a Christmas version: add pomegranate seeds and star shaped croutons

If you like the dressing, and it's super tangy, a little creamy and very delicious, then it's also rather nice on a pasta salad too!

Vegetarian Christmas version

Caesar Salad Dressing - dairy-free and egg-free

a zippy umami slad dressing for the best vegan caesar salad

dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soya-free, sesame-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan

2 tbsp plant-based mayonnaise
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tbsp Henderson's relish (or veggie Worcestershire sauce)
3 tbsp flavourless oil (i like sunflower oil)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch sugar
¼ tsp salt

Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and Henderson's Relish
add the oils, salt and sugar and whisk until smooth and thick

To make a classic caesar salad for 4:

wash and dry 2 little gem lettuces, roughly tear.
Make croutons by cutting 2 slices of bread into cubes (or your favourite shape) and frying in oil until golden and crispy
Pour 2/3rds of the dressing into a large bowl. Add the leaves and most of the croutons and toss to combine.
Divide between 4 bowls and then add any of the suggested additions you may like.
Drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing and a few extra croutons.
Eat straight away.

Salad, Side Dish, starter

American

Caesar salad