Crispy Tempeh Caesar Salad (2024)

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What You’ll Need

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.

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.

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.

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:

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 4 fluid ounces vegan caesar dressing about 1/2 cup
• 2 cups croutons try homemade sourdough croutons
• ½ cup shaved vegan parmesan cheese

• 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

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.

MY Favorite

Vegan Caesar Salad Recipes

• Vegan Caesar Salad (traditional)
• Vegan Caesar Dressing
• Buffalo Cauliflower Wrap