Crispy Tempeh Caesar Salad

Crispy Tempeh Caesar Salad, an easy vegan caesar salad recipe with marinated and roasted tempeh crumbles and crunchy croutons. Made with vegan dressing and vegan cheese, it’s tasty plant-based take on traditional caesar salads.

a plate with vegan caesar salad with tempeh on top and a gold fork

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Why I Love This Recipe

Who says you can’t have caesar salads if you’re plant-based?! After making my absolute favorite vegan caesar salad recipe (along with a homemade vegan caesar dressing), I decided to get creative and add a bit of protein with a crunchy texture: tempeh.

If you’ve never had tempeh, you’re going to love how easy – and how tasty – this fermented soy bean can be. And this recipe is a great way to try it out as it’s incredibly easy: simply marinate, then add to a baking sheet and roast until it’s golden brown with a bit of crunch, about 15 minutes.

I know you’re going to love this simple plant protein-packed caesar salad as much as I do. If you give it a try, make sure to leave me a comment below and let me know!


What You’ll Need

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Tempeh
  • Croutons (try this DIY recipe)
  • Vegan caesar dressing (buy or make your own)
  • Vegan parmesan cheese (I like Violife)
  • Soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup
  • Spices (garlic powder, onion powder, pepper)

Step-by-step photos of how to make it

Step One: Marinate + roast tempeh until crispy

First, mix up your tempeh marinade by combining soy sauce, lemon juice, a touch of maple syrup, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Then add crumbled tempeh and let sit 5-10 minutes before baking on a sheet pan for about 15 minutes, or until crispy.

a glass bowl with marinated tempeh
Marinate tempeh
baked crispy tempeh on a baking sheet after roasting
Roast until crispy, about 13-15 minutes

Step Two: Prep + cut romaine lettuce

Wash your romaine lettuce, then dry in a salad spinner. Then cut it into strips and add to a large mixing bowl.

washed and cut romaine lettuce in a metal mixing bowl on a white table
Wash and cut romaine lettuce

Step Three: Toss salad ingredients

Add crispy tempeh and croutons to the bowl with the romaine, and top with shaved vegan parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the vegan caesar dressing, then toss to combine.

a mixing bowl with caesar salad ingredients inside with two wood tongs
Toss salad ingredients

a vegan caesar salad with crumbled crispy tempeh and croutons on a white table with a gold fork

Crispy Tempeh Caesar Salad Recipe

Kristina Todini, RDN
Crispy Tempeh Caesar Salad, an easy vegan caesar salad recipe with marinated and roasted tempeh and croutons. Made with vegan dressing and vegan cheese, it’s tasty plant-based take on traditional caesar salads.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4 servings
Calories 412 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 baking sheet
  • 2 mixing bowls

Ingredients
  

Crispy tempeh ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 8 ounces tempeh crumbled into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

Salad ingredients:

Instructions
 

  • Roast tempeh: Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees Celsius). To a medium mixing bowl, add soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, and onion powder and whisk to combine. Then add crumbled tempeh, mixing to coat, and let marinate for 5-10 minutes. Then add oil to a baking sheet and add marinated tofu. Bake until tofu is crispy, about 13-15 minutes, stirring halfway throughout to cook on both sides.
    2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 8 ounces tempeh, 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • Prep and cut romaine lettuce: Remove romaine lettuce leaves from the core and then wash and remove excess water by using a salad spinner or laying flat to dry. Then stack the leaves and cut into 1 inch thick strips, removing any hard white stems.
    1 head romaine lettuce
  • Toss salad: Add sliced romaine to a large bowl and add vegan caesar dressing, tossing to coat the lettuce in the dressing. Then transfer salad to a plate and garnish with roasted tempeh, croutons, and parmesan cheese.
    4 fluid ounces vegan caesar dressing, 2 cups croutons, 1/2 cup shaved vegan parmesan cheese

Notes

Prep ahead: This salad is best made fresh, but you can store for 1-2 days before serving. Make the crispy tempeh ahead of time to cut down on prep.
Leftovers and storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is calculated for all ingredients listed. This recipe is plant-based and can be gluten if you use gluten free croutons and tamari in place of the soy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 412kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 15gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 1112mgPotassium: 316mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 620IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 3mg
Keyword tempeh caesar salad
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Vegan Caesar Salad Recipes

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