Oil-Free Vegan Caesar Dressing (artichoke brine and cashews)
A bold deeply savory lemony cashew-based no oil vegan Caesar dressing that's rich and complex. Tangy artichoke brine is the star of the show here, its built-in brininess boosted by capers. Nori magnifies the umami flavor notes while adding an oceany flavor that echoes Chef Caesar Cardini's classic recipe.
Equipment
- small bowl (for soaking cashews)
- Mesh Strainer (for straining cashews)
- High Speed Blender (1000 watts or more preferred)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup raw unsalted cashews (whole or pieces)
- ¾ cup artichoke brine from a can* (water-based, no oil!)
- 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves** (think 2 to 3 teaspoons worth)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- ⅛ to ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salt (optional because there's already salt from the artichoke brine and capers)
- 1 Tbsp capers
- 2 tsp nori flakes***
Instructions
Pre-Soak Cashews
- Place raw cashews in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and let soak for at least 20 minutes if using whole cashes or at least 15 minutes if using pieces. Cashews can also be soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours or overnight. Read more about soaking cashews in the main recipe text.
- Strain soaked cashews discarding the water used for soaking.
Blitzing Phase 1
- Place strained cashews, artichoke brine, lemon juice, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, black pepper, ground turmeric and salt (if using) in the bowl of a high speed blender.
- Process until smooth and creamy.
You can hold off on adding the salt until after you taste the finished dressing and decide if you need it.
Blitzing Phase 2
- Add the capers and nori flakes to the creamy mixture in the blender.
- Pulse 3 or 4 quick times until the capers become small specs. Be careful not to over pulse.
Serve or Store
- Serve immediately or store in a sealed refrigerated container for up to 5 days.
- Note that this dressing gets thicker (in a good way) after it's been refrigerated for several hours.
For a healthy plant-based Caesar salad experience sprinkle with 'parmesan'-like seed and nut topping. If you want to add a protein, I recommend oven roasted chickpeas or oil-free roasted soy curls.
Notes
*You can get all the brine you need from an 8.5 ounce can of artichoke hearts in water-based brine but you may need to squeeze the artichoke hearts a bit to access every drop of brine. This recipe also works with water-based brine from green olives.
**Instead of fresh garlic you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
***Nori flakes are available at many Asian grocery stores or online. You can make your own nori flakes by crushing up a sheet of nori.
Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was!