Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Capers
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 279
- Total Fat
- 19
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Carbohydrates
- 20
- Dietary Fiber
- 5
- Sugar
- 3
- Protein
- 11
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 457
- Total: 25 min
- Active: 25 min
Ingredients
8 ounces sourdough bread (about 1/2 a small loaf)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 3 1/2-ounce jar capers, with brine (about 1/3 cup capers and 3 tablespoons brine)
8 ounces (1 cup) silken tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon vegan Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
3 hearts of romaine (about 12 ounces), cut into bite-size pieces
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Tear the bread into bite-size pieces; you should have about 3 cups. Toss the bread with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper on a sheet pan. Bake until toasted but still somewhat soft, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Using a small sieve, drain the capers, reserving the brine. Pat the capers with a paper towel until they are mostly dry. Once the oil is hot enough (if you add a test caper to the oil and it sizzles or pops, your oil is hot enough), add the capers and fry until crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the oil through the sieve into a heatproof bowl and cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Place the fried capers on the prepared plate to drain. Whisk the caper brine into the warm oil.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the caper oil and brine mixture until silky smooth. (See Cook’s Note.)
- In a large bowl, toss the romaine with 2/3 cup of the dressing and the croutons. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper or dress the lettuce with more dressing if desired. Top with crispy capers and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve.
Cook’s Note
If there is extra caper oil and brine mixture leftover, use it in a vinaigrette, dip bread into it or coat vegetables with it.