Homemade Croutons
- 2 cups bread, cut into ½" cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the soy curls in a small bowl and top with vegetable broth. Allow the soy curls to rehydrate for 10-15 minutes.
Toss the cubed bread in olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown and crunchy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor combine the ingredients for the Caesar Salad Dressing and blend until completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. To make the soy curls chicken, drain the excess vegetable broth from the soy curls. Heat up olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the soy curls for 2-3 minutes. Add the nutritional yeast and spices and continue to sauté until the soy curls are browned on the outside and cooked all the way through. Remove from heat.
Assemble the salad by tossing the romaine in a large bowl with the Caesar Salad Dressing. Top with soy curls, croutons, and vegan parmesan. Serve immediately.
Serve immediately.
Serving and Storing – Eat this salad within several hours of assembling it. When you are ready to eat, toss it with the dressing and enjoy it immediately.
Make in Advance -For a lunch that will last you several days, make a big batch of the croutons and dressing. When it is time to make the salad, heat up the soy curls (if using), chop the lettuce, and toss everything together. You can make the salad dressing up to 7 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Homemade parmesan and croutons can be made up to 5 days in advance. These should be stored separately in airtight containers at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- To save on time, consider using storebought vegan Caesar Salad Dressing.
- You can either use homemade or storebought vegan parmesan. I recommend Violife parmesan if you can find it.
Variations - If you don't have access to soy curls, you can use tofu, tempeh, or any store bought plant-based chicken option you like. For a lighter salad, omit the vegan chicken altogether.
Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 931mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6368IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 5mg