The part I loved most about the Caesar Salad I adored at Adama Comfort Cuisine?  The tofu and crouton cubes were the same size and looked so similar that you weren’t sure whether you were going to receive a soft and chewy mouthful or a hard and crunchy mouthful with each bite.

The mixture of textures was so interesting and so deliciously sublime!

Let’s flashback! ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

 

Adama Caesar Salad

 

 

To top it all off, it also had tasty pumpkin seeds sprinkled throughout the leaves, reminding me how great spicy pepitas are in salads.

And then I met a Caesar Salad at Cafe Gratitude in Santa Cruz loaded with creamy avocado pieces (way to get creative with the Caesar!) and thought – why not throw those gorgeous bad boys into the dressing??

There are a few steps involved but they’re all super easy and use most of the same ingredients.  Plus you can make extra, keep them in separate containers for up to a few days, and then just re-assemble another salad (or sandwich or wrap) whenever you fancy! WIN!

 

Spicy Pepitas

Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Pepitas pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Squeeze Lemon/Lime Juice
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Smokey Paprika
  • Pinch Sea Salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 150C/300F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until pepitas are evenly covered.
  • Place pepitas in a single layer on a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool.

 

Herb Croutons

Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 slices bread I used gluten-free, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • Pinch of Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Increase oven temperature to 170C/340F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until croutons are evenly covered.
  • Place croutons in a single layer on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool.

 

Baked, Herb Tofu

Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small packet Extra Firm Tofu organic & non-GMO, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup Tamari or Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • Pinch of Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until tofu is evenly covered.
  • Place tofu in a single layer in a baking dish and top with remaining 'juice'.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes or until tofu has absorbed all the 'juice'.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

 

Avocado Caesar Dressing

Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts or Pine Nuts or any nuts you fancy
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 small Avocado pitted and peeled
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 Lime juiced
  • 1 tbsp Agave Nectar
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • Pinch Sea Salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

 

Vegan Caesar Salad

Sprinkle Spicy Pepitas, Herb Croutons and Baked, Herb Tofu on a bed of Cos Lettuce leaves, drizzle with Avocado Caesar Dressing and enjoy!

 

 Vegan Caesar Salad

6 Comments on California Vegan – Caesar Herb Tofu Salad

  1. Kristy
    February 20, 2013 at 7:17 am (11 years ago)

    That avocado dressing sounds perfectly dreamy! Yum!

  2. Somer
    February 20, 2013 at 2:47 pm (11 years ago)

    Gabby! That looks like such an incredibly lovely salad! I haven’t been to the store in 10 days and I really need some fresh greens! I think that dressing is a must make too! Wouldn’t you know that I have hoards of pepitas right now too! It’s a sign! xx

  3. Sophie
    February 21, 2013 at 7:17 pm (11 years ago)

    It looks even better then the original you savoured in the States!
    Waw!!

    All of the ingredients look so good together in this amazingly awesome looking salad! 🙂

    I must make this tasty & fabulous vegan super salad soon! xxx

  4. Angela
    February 26, 2013 at 12:19 am (11 years ago)

    OK – YUM! I do a Vegan Caesar (http://www.vegangela.com/2011/06/21/vegan-ceasar-salad/), which I now regularly add tempeh bacon to, but I LOVE that your dressing uses avocado instead of tofu mayo. Oh, and the pepitas – genius! I love crunchy things in my salad. Makes it seem more like a “meal”. Thanks for stopping by my blog and reminding me to visit yours more often! X