There are three parts to making this salad the best it can be: the homemade croutons (adapted from my Mom’s recipe), the creamy garlic dressing, and the preparation of the lettuce. This will be time consuming, but trust me, it’s more than worth it.

1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried between layers of paper towels and chilled for at least an hour
1 recipe of homemade croutons (see below)
1 recipe of vegan Caesar dressing (see below)
Almosen Sprinkle – optional (see the “Non-dairy Cheeses” section of this website)

As the lettuce is chilling, prepare the homemade croutons. You can use store-bought, if you like, but they will come nowhere near tasting as good as these homemade ones do.

Homemade Croutons

5-6 slices whole grain bread, cut into cubes
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp dried oregano

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the bread cubes and toss constantly, on high heat, for five minutes, until the bread has absorbed most of the oil. Turn heat to low, add the garlic and herbs, and fry for 25 minutes, tossing occassionally, until the croutons are browned and crunchy.

Prepare the salad dressing.

Creamy Caesar Dressing

3/4 cup medium-firm tofu (silken is okay)
1 1/2 tbsp light oil
2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp yellow miso paste
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp minced garlic (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
dash of kelp powder

Combine all ingredients in your blender or food processor and whip until smooth.

Now, tear the chilled lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Add the croutons and toss. Pour the dressing over all, and toss again. At this point, you can add a generous helping of Almosen Sprinkle (a parmesan cheese substitute), if desired, and toss yet again. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6