This vegan quinoa chickpea caesar salad is a healthy spin on a classic recipe! It’s made with a protein-rich combination of crispy chickpeas and tender quinoa. Plus, it’s smothered in an irresistable, dairy free cashew Caesar dressing.

Believe it or not, I was never a big Caesar salad fan until I went vegan. The idea of dressing made with both fish and raw eggs—neither of which I was into—didn’t quite appeal. And I found a lot of Caesar salad to be overly creamy, making it tough to actually enjoy the crispy greens.

I’ve tried many vegan Caesar salads. These include raw food versions, Caesar salad with the addition of beans, and a Caesar with roasted broccoli.

This quinoa chickpea Caesar salad is one of my favorites. I love it because it’s hearty and filling. It’s not traditional, of course, but the addition of grains and legumes transform Caesar into a meal sized salad. Croutons are replaced by crunchy roasted chickpeas, while quinoa contributes protein and fiber.

The quinoa chickpea Caesar salad dressing is perfect. It’s a creamy, cashew-based concoction that tastes authentic without either raw egg or anchovies!

What’s in Caesar salad?

Classic Caesar salad typically features romaine hearts, croutons, parmesan cheese, and a characteristic dressing of anchovies, egg yolk, lemon juice, olive oil, parmesan, and garlic.

This quinoa chickpea Caesar retains some of those original components. The romaine is present, as is my cashew parmesan cheese. But there are lots of differences, too. Croutons are replaced by chickpeas, which add protein and nutrient density to the salad.

Quinoa also increases the protein in the chickpea Caesar salad, making the dish a Power Plate. I also find that the complex carbs in quinoa help to keep me full, and the fiber in the grain is a plus for digestive health.

How to make roasted chickpeas

I use roasted chickpeas in a lot of my recipes. It’s a way of including chickpeas that also adds texture (crispiness) and extra flavor (usually in the form of a spice mix).

Roasting chickpeas is simple. Simply toss the chickpeas with oil and spices, then roast them at 400F for about 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. They’re ready when they start to become crisp and lightly browned.

The chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I use them in this chickpea Caesar salad and in wraps, salads, bowls, on top of soup, and even in trail mix for snacking.

How to make vegan Caesar dressing

Of course the basis of my dressing for this quinoa chickpea Caesar salad is—you guessed it—cashews!

Cashews are one of my favorite and most heavily used ingredients. They’re the “secret weapon” in many of my dressings. They create my all-purpose cashew cream, which is what I use to add richness to soup and pasta. I use them to make both spreadable and crumbly vegan cheese. And they’re my base ingredient in vegan whipped cream and plant milk.

Here, cashews are blended to silky consistency along with garlic, black pepper, seaweed flakes, miso, nutritional yeast, and lemon. The nutritional yeast adds cheesy flavor, while the seaweed flakes help to replace anchovies.

You’ll have leftover Caesar dressing after you toss the quinoa chickpea Caesar salad together. You can save the dressing for salads and meals in the near future, or you can freeze it for up to six weeks.

Can I substitute the cashews?

Yes, you can! If you’re allergic to cashews but not other tree nuts, try pine nuts instead.

If you have an allergy to nuts, but not seeds, you can use soaked, shelled, raw sunflower seeds.

And if you’re allergic to all nuts and seeds, try using 1 cup silken tofu in place of the cashews and water.

Quinoa chickpea Caesar salad meal prep

This salad lends itself very easily to vegan meal prep. Many of the components can be made and stored a few days in advance of serving.

The roasted chickpeas will keep for up to one week in an airtight storage container in the fridge. The quinoa can be cooked up to three days in advance of tossing the salad together. And the vegan Caesar dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, total.

Storing quinoa chickpea Caesar salad

Once you combine all of the salad ingredients together, the salad leftovers will last for up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge. The romaine lettuce will become less crispy over time, but the salad will still taste terrific.

Enjoy this filling and comforting salad! I hope you’ll enjoy sharing it, too—it’s always a hit when I share it with friends.

xo