Ayurvedic Caesar Salad Dressing

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This Ayurvedic Caesar dressing is delicious and creamy, yet it’s dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, anchovies-free, eggless, and mayo free.

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Let me explain to you why it’s so amazing!

Not long ago I was the chef at an Ayurvedic wellness retreat, and I served this Caesar salad dressing to rave reviews.

People loved the mild bitter taste, zingy fresh lemon, and rich healthy fats from the pumpkin seeds, tahini, and olive oil.

A few people commented that they wanted to slather this sauce on everything! That’s high praise.

Of course they asked for the recipe, so here it is!

What part is Ayurvedic?

For those of you who are new to Ayurveda, you’re probably wondering what Ayurveda is, and how a salad dressing can be Ayurvedic?

Ayurveda is a traditional system of healthcare from India that prescribes “food as medicine” to restore balance and overall health.

As an Ayurvedic nutritionist and digestive health counselor, I’m passionate about creating healthy recipes that help people find balance.

Let me explain how I used food as medicine to create this recipe.

Caesar salad nutrition

Earlier I mentioned that there’s a slight bitter taste in this recipe. Don’t let this scare you.

I am referring to the pumpkin seeds, tahini, and olive oil. Each of these foods is a little bitter, and this is a good thing!

That’s because the bitter taste is cleansing and clarifying, so it tones and strengthens metabolism.

At the same time, healthy fats are also building in quality, which means there’s a balancing effect there.

In this way you get both cleansing and building in the same dish, which is really ideal, especially in the cold season.

Free from harmful ingredients

Mayonnaise is typically used to make Caesar since it has egg yolks, oil, and a tangy taste. The mayo gives a thicker texture to the sauce.

However, most mayonnaise is made with highly refined oils, which are toxic to the body due to the high temperatures and solvents used to make them.

Refined oils are cheap. That’s why they’re used. But they aren’t really digestible, so it’s just empty calories that damage bodily tissues.

Making a Caesar dressing with no mayo is a little trickier, but this particular dressing comes together like a breeze, and still yields a thick, creamy texture.

It’s incredible that we can create such rich flavor without resorting to any harmful ingredients.

Top tip

The fresh lemon juice and apple cider vinegar in this Caesar dressing stoke the metabolism and promote the release of digestive juices in the digestive tract that are required to easily digest the sauce.

Pairings

• dip carrot and celery sticks
• dip pizza or flatbread in it ….
• a sauce with steamed vegetables
• add a scoop to a grain bowl along with roasted vegetables and chickpeas
• as a tangy topping with simple French lentils or khichadi

How many calories does Caesar dressing have?

With just 88 calories per serving, this healthy Caesar dressing lets you enjoy the creamy, classic flavor you love without the extra calories. It’s a light and tasty way to make your salads even better!

Storage

Store the dressing in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Variations & substitutions

This recipe is made with fresh lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. You can substitute with lime juice, and/or any vinegar you prefer, such as white wine, white, rice, etc.

Equipment

You will need a high speed blender to make this. You want to get the olive oil emulsified together with the other ingredients, and this takes proper blending.