Vegan Caesar Salad with Cajun Tofu

So fresh, zesty and packed with flavors, this delicious vegan Caesar salad pairs crunchy romaine lettuce with creamy vegan Caesar dressing and lightly breaded cajun-seasoned tofu. It makes for a perfect full-meal salad that's filling and healthy. In fact, I bet you will crave this salad again and again!

It is officially summer salad season!

Lately, we have been enjoying this buffalo tortellini salad and this creamy white bean salad, but the other day I was craving a big fresh salad with crunchy veggies for lunch. I was also very hungry and needed something that would satisfy me for the whole afternoon... so I came up with this vegan Caesar salad topped with Cajun tofu! Such a great meal, I'm sure you will love it!

It pairs my recent vegan tahini Caesar dressing recipe, which by the way is to die for, with crunchy lettuce, cucumber, red onion and crispy crouton. Then to make it more filling, the salad features a super fast and easy cajun seasoned tofu.

The Cajun tofu is so quick to make and only very lightly breaded, no need to dip the individual pieces in multiple bowls one at a time, so this recipe still can be made in a pinch. The cajun-flavored panko crumbs falling off the tofu is actually the best part as they turn super crispy in the oven and they are packed with savory spiced flavor that gives the salad so much deliciousness and character!

And I think that cajun flavors work so well in salads, I even made a creamy cajun dressing if you are interested in finding more cajun salad recipes. In this case, the combo Caesar + cajun is such an unexpected match made in heaven, we cannot get enough of it!

Also, check out this grilled romaine Caesar salad!

Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️

Why you should try this recipe

• Easy and quick recipe
• Makes for a filling salad that is perfect to enjoy as a full meal
• Great for lunch or dinner, but also as a summer side dish
• Packed with flavors and texture, this is not a boring salad!
• Vegan, egg-free and dairy-free

What you will need

(complete ingredient list in the recipe card below)

For the salad

• Dressing: I highly recommend making this super simple vegan tahini Caesar dressing. It takes only 5 min to whip up together and has tons of amazing flavors.
• Crunchy romaine: classic lettuce for making a Caesar salad, but iceberg would be fine too. The crunchy green works well to hold on to the creamy salad dressing. I like using hearts of Romaine as I prefer its super fresh and crunchy bite.
• Fresh veggies: I added some cucumber, red onion and cherry tomatoes to the salad, although they are optional.
• Croutons: I used the seasoned croutons from the brand 365, they are vegan and very flavorful. You can also easily make your own vegan croutons from scratch (recipe from A Virtual Vegan), it is pretty easy to make!

For the cajun-seasoned tofu

• Extra firm tofu: I love the organic super firm tofu from the brand Wilwood as it is chewy and holds its shape well. Regular extra-firm tofu works well too.
• Oat milk: to coat the tofu and help make it a little more sticky. Make sure to use unsweetened and unflavored.
• Lemon juice: adds a nice zesty flavor that pairs well with the spices, but also, it creates a buttermilk-like texture once combined with the oat milk.
• Panko breadcrumbs: I prefer coarse panko breadcrumbs to regular fine breadcrumbs as it is ultra crispy and if the breading falls off the tofu, it makes for a nice crumbly spiced topping for the salad.
• Cajun seasoning: you can buy an already-made cajun seasoning at the store, or you can make your own cajun blend from scratch.

How to make Vegan Caesar salad with cajun tofu

(full detailed recipe down below in the recipe card)

Preheat the oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prep the cajun tofu

Pat dry the tofu and then, slice in bite-size cubes of about 1 inch.

Add the milk and lemon juice to a medium-large bowl, whisk and then add the tofu to the bowl. Stir to coat the tofu.

In a second bowl, add the panko, cajun seasoning and salt, then stir to combine.

Transfer the tofu to the bowl with the panko and toss the pieces around to coat them (leave the extra milk behind).

Transfer the tofu over the prepared baking sheet. The breading will not all stick to the tofu perfectly, this is ok and expected. Make sure to transfer all the loose breadcrumbs to the baking sheet as well. Space the pieces on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes flipping halfway through.

Make the vegan Caesar dressing

While the tofu is baking, you will have plenty of time to whip up a batch of this quick tahini Caesar dressing. You can also use store-bought if you prefer or feel in a rush. This vegan Caesar from Gotham Greens is pretty good!

Assemble and serve

Also while the tofu is in the oven, clean the lettuce and chop the veggies. Add them to a large mixing bowl and add the croutons as well.

Once the tofu is done baking, add the dressing to the salad and stir to combine. Transfer the salad to a large serving platter or bowl and top it off with the cajun tofu making sure to sprinkle the loose breadcrumbs over as well.

You can also serve the salad individually instead of mixing everything in a large bowl if you prefer, which might be best if you know you will have leftovers.

Helpful tips

• If making the dressing from scratch, then you can start with less lettuce and add more if needed, that way you can control how heavy vs lightly dressed you want your salad to be. Also, try to keep some extra vinaigrette for drizzling over the salad when serving.
• Combine the dressing with the fresh ingredients just before serving for the best freshness and to avoid a soggy salad.

Serving suggestions and variations

I think this salad works best when you mix the salad, veggies and dressing together, then top it off with the tofu when serving as opposed to mixing in the tofu in the salad. It makes for a beautiful presentation and the panko crumbles are better highlighted that way. Drizzle extra sauce over when serving and add some nutritional yeast if you would like.

If you enjoy vegan parmesan cheese, then it would also make for a great topping. Try this vegan almond parmesan cheese dust or use store-bought (we like this gratable vegan parmesan from the brand Violife).

This salad is so versatile, you can change up the veggies as you wish! Here are a few more veggie ideas to include:

• Shaved purple cabbage
• Shredded carrots
• Chopped broccoli
• Red bell pepper
• Avocado
• Baby spinach or kale

Also, as mentioned above, the tofu is full of flavors but only lightly breaded for a fast and easy recipe. If you prefer, you can make a "completely" breaded tofu that requires a few more minutes to prep but that would give a more crunchy result. Here are a few recipes you could try instead:

• Crusted tofu
• Coconut tofu
• Panko tofu nuggets
• Greek marinated crispy tofu

In these cases, simply include some of the cajun seasoning in the breading mixture.

More salad topping ideas:

• Vegan bacon bits
• Capers
• Spiced chickpeas
• Pickled onions (try this quick balsamic pickled onion recipe!)

More vegan green salad recipes to try

• Arugula and spinach salad with vegan feta
• Arugula, cranberry and pear salad
• Vegan Waldorf salad
• Kale apple crunch salad

I hope you like this vegan Caesar salad recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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