Modified: Published: by Patricia Granek
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Is Caesar dressing gluten-free, or dairy-free? No! But, hold on to your salad forks, because our creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing is! Made with simple ingredients for the ultimate dairy-free dressing for your next Caesar salad.
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Jump to:
- 🥳Why You'll Love Tahini Caesar
- 🧠Nutrient Boost: Fast Facts
- 🙋🏽♀️Is Caesar Dressing Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?
- 🥬Simple Ingredients
- 🌿Ingredient Substitutions
- 👩🏽🍳Serving Suggestion
- 🥡Storage Instructions
- 💡Recipe Tips: Creamy Tahini Ceaser Dressing
- 🌯Leftover Ideas
- ❔FAQ
- 🥣Recipe Pairing and More
- 📖 Recipe
- 📝Inforation Source
Today, we are bringing you our most popular salad dressing! Our Creamy Tahini Caesar dressing is a blend of tangy lemon, rich tahini, and salty capers, sweetened subtly with maple syrup and rounded out with a kick of spices. It will quickly become your new favorite way to enjoy your next dairy-free Caesar Salad.
And if you need more fresh salads check out or spinach arugula salad with a zesty hummus dressing!
Our tahini Caesar dressing has been perfected for many years now. Here's the thing: My husband is a die-hard fan of traditional Caesar salad, which I unfortunately learned is NOT gluten-free! So, to avoid constantly drooling over my husband's Caesar salad, I decided to make an even better version that he would drool over.
This blog was really created from that very desire to enjoy allergy-friendly recipes that didn't make you feel like you were missing out. As many people with food allergies can attest, it sucks to feel like you are constantly missing out on the things you used to enjoy! So don't fret! Romaine calm and Caesar the day ( 🙄 I couldn't resist) because this tahini Caeser dressing brings all the flavor notes to the table! As someone who spent 8 years working in an Italian restaurant, I made sure to add in a few Caesar dressing secrets, too!
More Drool-Worth Salads & Dressings
- High-Protein Quinoa Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette
- Spinach Arugula Salad with Zesty Hummus Dressing
- Red Rice and Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Shaved Brussel Sprout With Candied Walnuts
🥳Why You'll Love Tahini Caesar
- Creamy and Briny: Our tahini Caesar dressing offers a perfect balance of creamy texture and briny depth, rivaling the classic without any dairy.
- Allergy-Friendly: Free from gluten, dairy, nuts, and vegan, this recipe is perfect for anyone managing dietary restrictions.
- Quick and Easy: Whip up this satisfying meal in minutes.
- Nutritious: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and plant-based protein, this salad is a powerhouse of nutrition, supporting your overall health (1, 2).
- Versatile: Whether it's a hearty lunch or a light dinner, this salad's adaptability makes it perfect for any meal. Add your favorite toppings like roasted vegetables, crispy tofu, or grilled chicken.
🧠Nutrient Boost: Fast Facts
You know I am all about the benefits of the recipes I create. Here are some highlights of what you can find in Tahini:
- Healthy Fats: Tahini, made from ground sesame seeds, is rich in healthy fats and critical for cognitive function and cell integrity (1).
- Antioxidants: Antioxidants in tahini help reduce oxidative stress, protecting against age-related cognitive decline (2, 3).
- Low in Sugar: This dressing has just a small amount of sugar, which helps avoid blood sugar spikes and maintains better mental focus and energy levels (4).
🙋🏽♀️Is Caesar Dressing Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?
The answer to the question might surprise you! Traditional Caesar salad dressing is typically not gluten-free, dairy-free, or even vegetarian. That's because most classic Caesar dressing recipes contain dairy in the form of Parmesan cheese, anchovy paste, and gluten found in Worcestershire sauce (from the malt vinegar).
In this recipe, we've replaced the Worcestershire sauce with vegan and gluten-free ingredients and replaced the anchovies with capers for a delightful briny touch. To get those crispy croutons, we use chickpeas, a powerhouse of nutrition packed with plant-based protein (2). This makes them not just a safe choice for a gluten-free or dairy-free diet but also an excellent way to boost the protein content in our meals, supporting muscle health and overall well-being.
🥬Simple Ingredients
Here's a quick list of the main ingredients in our tahini salad dressing:
- Sesame Tahini: The key ingredient for our vegan Caesar dressing. Naturally creamy tahini has a mild nutty flavor allowing the other ingredients to come together.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: I love adding lemon juice for a tangy twist that pairs so well with tahini. For extra tang, add some lemon zest!
- Fresh Garlic Cloves: Essential for a rich, flavorful dressing. They brings depth and lots of flavor.
- Capers: A great vegan alternative to anchovy. These little gems add that briny kick needed to mimic classic Caesar dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: Introduces a zing that perfectly complements the tanginess of the lemon and the creaminess of the tahini.
- Cumin: A sprinkle of cumin adds a warm, earthy note, subtly enhancing the dressing's complexity.
- Fresh Romaine Lettuce, Radishes, and Green Onions: The fresh and fabulous trio that brings this salad to life!
For full quantities, see the recipe card. Be sure to check labels for any gluten-containing ingredients.
🌿Ingredient Substitutions
- Soy-Free: Replace soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari to make this gluten-free dressing suitable for those on a soy-free diet.
- Caper-free: You can experiment with olives or vegan Worcestershire sauce if you want but it will change the flavor of this tahini caesar dressing. If you do please comment and let me know how it turned out!
- Garlic: You can swap the fresh garlic for garlic powder for a milder version.
👩🏽🍳Serving Suggestion
To create a complete meal, we suggest adding our tahini Caesar dressing over some crisp Romain and sliced vegetables and topping with crispy chickpea croutons. Here is how:
Step 1: Gather Dressing Ingredients
Gather all the tahini Caesar dressing ingredients and add them to a small blender (or food processor).
Step 1: Blend Ingredients
Blend for 2 minutes to get a creamy dressing. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, you can add the capers half-way.
Step 3: Prep a Salad Base
Make a simple salad by chopping up Romain lettuce. We love adding in sliced radishes and green onions.
Step 4: Make Crispy Chickpea Croutons:
Here is what you need:
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
Rinse and pat dry your chickpeas. Then mix all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Stovetop: Cook in a pan over medium-high heat until crispy (about 15 minutes).
Air-fryer: Place into the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.
Step 4: Assemble and Serve
Add all your salad vegetables to a large bowl and pour in the tahini Caesar dressing. Toss until well combined. Then sprinkle in with chickpea croutons and drizzle with fresh lemon!
🥡Storage Instructions
Fridge Storage: Store any leftover tahini Caesar dressing separately from your prepped salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. If you have already-dressed salad leftovers, transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Keep in mind that the lettuce and chickpea croutons may become a bit wilted.
Freezing: If you'd like to keep the tahini Caesar dressing even longer, it can be frozen for up to 2 months!
💡Recipe Tips: Creamy Tahini Ceaser Dressing
Here are my top tips to get the best results and the most flavorful dressing:
- Perfect Dressing Consistency: Start with high-quality sesame tahini for a smooth and creamy base. If the dressing is too thick, gradually add water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. This ensures your dressing is pourable without being watery.
- Crispy Chickpea Croutons: Dry chickpeas thoroughly before roasting for that perfect crunch.
- Taste and Adjust: Fine-tune the dressing with extra lemon or Dijon mustard to suit your tanginess preference.
- Crisp Lettuce: Use fresh, crisp romaine lettuce for the best texture in your salad. If your lettuce has wilted slightly, soak it in ice water for a few minutes before drying it thoroughly. This can help revive and crisp up the leaves.
🌯Leftover Ideas
If you find yourself with leftover Tahini Ceaser dressing or want some fun recipe ideas, here are some suggestions:
- Traditional Twist: For a more traditional Caesar dressing, you can add in some grated vegan parmesan cheese or add nutritional yeast for the extra cheesy flavor.
- Pasta Sauce: This tahini dressing makes a flavorful creamy pasta sauce. Simply add to a sauce pan along with some water and cook until warm. Then drizzle over your favorite pasta noodles.
- Wrap it up!Use our tahini Caesar dressing to make a salad, then use it as a filling in your next burrito or taco. Add it to a warm gluten-free tortilla shell with some vegan mayo and roll it up!
❔FAQ
How can I add more protein to this salad?
The chickpea croutons in this recipe are a fantastic source of plant-based protein, but if you'd like to increase the protein content even further, you can add some marinated tofu, tempeh, or your favorite plant-based protein. Grilled or baked chicken could also be an option if your family includes meat-eaters.
Is Caesar dressing dairy-free?
Typically, traditional Caesar dressing contains dairy in the form of Parmesan cheese, However, our vegan Caesar uses a tahini Caesar dressing that is both gluten-free and dairy-free, making it suitable for those with dietary restrictions or preferences.
Why is Caesar dressing not gluten-free?
Most traditional Caesar dressings are actually not gluten-free because they contain Worcestershire sauce and croutons. Croutons are typically made from bread. However, for this recipe, we've also replaced the Worcestershire sauce with gluten-free ingredients and used chickpeas croutons instead of bread croutons to make it suitable for those following a gluten-free diet.
Why Use Tahini for Caesar Dressing
Tahini isn't just for hummus! This creamy, nutty paste made from ground sesame seeds is the secret to a rich, satisfying Caesar dressing without the dairy. Packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, tahini adds depth and creaminess to dishes, making it a fantastic base any Caesar dressing.
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🥣Recipe Pairing and More
I hope you love our tahini dressing, if you are looking for more homemade dressings that are gluten-free and allergy-friendly, be sure to check out these:
- Marinated Brussel Sprout Salad with Roasted Candied Medley
- Quick Creamy Oat Milk Alfredo (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free)
📖 Recipe
Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
Patricia Granek
Creamy, zesty tahini caesar dressing, ready in 10 minutes is the ultimate dairy-free Caesar salad! Featuring the nutty flavors of tahini, briny capers, zesty lemon, and spiced with mustard and cumin this will quickly be your new favorite dressing for your next salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 8 servings
Calories 111 kcal
Ingredients
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- ½ cup sesame tahini
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Step-by-step imagesScroll back to find prep and cooking images and tips!
Instructions
Into a blender, add all the ingredients for the tahini Caesar dressing.
Blend for 1-2 minutes until you get a smooth creamy texture. If your dressing is too thick add 2 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency
Serving Suggestion: Create a Complete Meal
Toss the dressing with chopped romaine lettuce, sliced radishes, and green onions for a refreshing salad.
Add Crispy Chickpea Croutons: Rinse and dry one can of chickpeas. Place in a mixing bowl and add in 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin.
Stovetop: Cook in a pan over medium-high heat until crispy (about 15 minutes).
Air-fryer: Place your chickpeas in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.
Sprinkle the crispy chickpea croutons over your dressed salad for a delightful crunch.
Notes
Fridge Storage:If you've already dressed the salad and have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. Keep in mind that the lettuce may become a bit wilted, but the flavors will still be delicious.
Make-Ahead Tips:IF you are making this salad ahead of time, store each item separately to maintain the optimal freshened and crispness.
Nutrient information is for the tahini Caesar dressing only.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 111kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 205mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mgZinc: 1mg
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📝Inforation Source
- Sumaina, G., & Laban, L. (Year). Tahini: The Magical Condiment In-Depth Look at its Nutritional and Health Benefits. J Food Process Technol, 12(1), Article 859.
- Pulido, R., Bravo, L., & Saura-Calixto, F. (2000). Antioxidant activity of dietary polyphenols as determined by a modified ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 48(8), 3396-3402.
- Baxevanis, G. K., Sakketou, E. K. I., Tentolouris, N. K., Karathanos, V. T., Fragkiadakis, G. A., & Kanellos, P. T. (2021). Tahini consumption improves metabolic and antioxidant status biomarkers in the postprandial state in healthy males.European Food Research and Technology,247, 2721-2728.
- Halder, S., & Khaled, K. L. (2013). An extensive review on the relationship between food and mood.
