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Pouring creamy vegan Caesar dressing over a fall Caesar salad with tofu, sweet potatoes, and roasted tomatoes.

Fall Salad Recipe: Vegan Sweetgreen-Inspired Autumn Caesar

Yield: 4 servings
Cozy fall salad recipe inspired by Sweetgreen’s Autumn Caesar, made vegan with crispy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, and creamy dairy-free Caesar dressing. Healthy, hearty, and meal-prep friendly.
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
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Ingredients

Base

  • 4 cups Shredded Kale
  • 4 cups Chopped Romaine

Roasted Sweet Potato

  • 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, cubed
  • 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • Salt + Pepper, sprinkled on top

Crispy Tofu

  • 1 block Extra Firm Tofu, If you have it in your grocery store, choose high protein tofu for even more protein
  • 1 tbsp Tamari or Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Maple Syrup

Jammy Tomatoes

  • 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 pinch Cane Sugar
  • Sea Salt (quick sprinkle on top)

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

  • ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
  • 2 tsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 pinch Cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Sea Salt

Garlic Breadcrumbs

  • 2 slices Sourdough Bread
  • 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 pinch Sea Salt

Vegan Caesar Dressing

  • ¾ cup Vegan Mayo
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, about 1/4 of a lemon
  • 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 tsp Capers + a splash of brine
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast, can sub for vegan parm
  • ¼ - ½ cup Filtered Water, start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed to thin
  • Sea Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

Preheat & Prep

  • Preheat oven to 425°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.
  • Prep your ingredients. Cube sweet potatoes and tofu. Chop and wash lettuce, pat dry and set aside. If you'd like, you can do this step the night before along with tossing it with their respective seasonings to both save time and infuse the flavor even more.

Roast Everything at Once

  • On one tray: spread sweet potatoes + tofu (drizzle each section with their seasonings if you haven't done so the night before.)
  • On the second tray: add tomatoes tossed with olive oil, sugar, and salt.
  • Roast 30 minutes, tossing the tofu and sweet potato halfway. Everything should finish around the same time—sweet potatoes tender, tofu golden, tomatoes caramelized and juicy.
  • Keep your eyes on the tomato as that may finish sooner, around 20-25 min.

Make the Dressing (while it roasts)

  • Blend vegan mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, capers + brine, garlic, nutritional yeast, and water until creamy.
  • Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon.

Quick Toppings (reuse a tray)

  • Lower oven temp to 350°F (175°C) once the trays are free.
  • On one tray, scatter torn sourdough and pumpkin seeds.
  • Toss bread with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt.
  • Toss pumpkin seeds with maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt.
  • Bake together 5–7 minutes, until both are toasted and crisp.

Assemble the Salad

  • In a large bowl, toss kale and romaine with a few spoonfuls of dressing.
  • Add roasted tofu, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, breadcrumbs, and pumpkin seeds.
  • Finish with more dressing and cracked black pepper.
Author: Annie Kimmelman