There is something so delicious about a staple like a caesar salad! This Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad takes the everyday caesar up a notch! With protein from the tofu and healthy carbs from the pasta, this caesar pasta salad has a little bit of everything to keep you full. The best part? The homemade caesar dressing from is beyond creamy, 100% dairy free, and so incredible! Caesar Obsessed? Make my Caesar Salad Spring Rolls next. If you love creamy yet dairy-free pasta dishes, then you’ll also love my Vegan Pesto Pasta! My pasta salad lovers, try my Vegan Greek Pasta Salad and Creamy Ranch Vegan Pasta Salad next! This Quinoa Broccoli Salad is also a fan-favorite!
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Notes on Ingredients
- Dinosaur kale: I love to use nutrient-dense dinosaur kale, but any kale variety works. If you prefer, you can sub with spinach or romaine, but it won’t hold up as well in the fridge.
- Whole wheat pasta: You can use any pasta you’d like–I prefer whole wheat einkorn pasta. It’s higher in protein and fiber.
- Parmesan: Adds a salty, cheesy flavor. I use Violife Vegan Parmesan.
- Tofu: You can grill or sauté the tofu. I recommend using high-protein or extra-firm tofu.
Please take note that this is important information about the ingredients used in this recipe and the FULL recipe with measurements and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
How do you make Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad?
- Cook your pasta.
- Break up your tofu into bite sized pieces and grill or saute it.
- Chop the kale and tomatoes.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl.
- Make the dressing and add to the salad.
- Toss and enjoy!
- Step 1: First, cook the pasta.
- Step 2: Then, break up the tofu and grill or sauté it. Chop the kale and tomatoes.
- Step 3: Add everything to a large bowl.
- Step 4: Finally, make the dressing in a blender, pour over salad, and toss well to combine. Enjoy!
Commonly Asked Questions
Nope! Pick any pasta that you have on hand or enjoy eating. If you’re gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles. My personal favorite pasta is einkorn pasta.
While the kale truly makes this caesar pasta salad amazing, you can use any type of lettuce you’d like. Spinach or romaine would be great. Kale will hold up better for a meal prep situation though, like in my Meal Prep Salad!
Absolutely! You will find yourself making extra to add to other salads and wraps later in the week. The dressing will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This recipe and so many other delicious ones can be found in my Life Changing Salads or HealthyGirl Kitchen cookbook!
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Extra Helpful Tips
- Cook the pasta and tofu first, so they have time to cool before adding to the salad.
- Rather than cutting the tofu into cubes, break it apart with your hands to get the “crumbled” look.
- Rinse the pasta with cool water to help it cool quicker and keep from clumping together.
- Use a salad spinner to wash the kale.
- Make my Easy Mediterranean Orzo Salad or this Creamy Vegan Hummus Pasta next!
How to Store
Store extra Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you have extra dressing, store in a mason jar or air tight container for up to a week.
If you tried this Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 5-star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad (Dairy Free!)
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 salad spinner optional
- 1 pot
Ingredients
- 1 head dinosaur kale
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups pasta cooked whole wheat
- ½ cup parmesan shaved vegan
- 1 block tofu high protein
Dressing
- 1 cup cashews raw
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon caper brine
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch pepper
Instructions
- Cook and strain the pasta.
- Break apart the tofu and sauté or grill.
- Chop the kale and tomatoes.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl.
- Make the dressing in a high-speed blender.
- Toss and enjoy!
Dressing
- Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until completely smooth.
Notes
- Cook the pasta and tofu first, so they have time to cool before adding to the salad.
- Rather than cutting the tofu into cubes, break it apart with your hands to get the “crumbled” look.
- Rinse the pasta with cool water to help it cool quicker and keep from clumping together.
- Use a salad spinner to wash the kale.
Jordan Stacy says
This salad holds up SO well in the fridge as meal prep. I use a protein pasta usually or a grain free pasta like cassava.