White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
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This White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing is a healthier spin on the original without losing flavor.
We all know beans are a great source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium and many other nutrients. But did you know that beans are packed with phytonutrients that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer? That’s pretty remarkable.
Over the years I’ve enjoyed cooking and exploring an array of ways to use beans. Cooking with beans is more than just opening a can, heating them up and serving them as a side. Beans are an ingredient to be used creatively in sauces, salads, dips and as thickeners to name a few.
Take this lighter White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe for example. It uses bean puree instead of eggs, and it’s surprisingly tasty. The flavor and texture offer a pretty good match for the original. Plus it’s healthier. By no means am I saying it’s better than the original but it is a good option for those with egg allergies, or others who can’t eat raw eggs for one reason or another.
The ingredients are basic: white beans, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, pepper, anchovy paste, garlic, and a bit of water as needed for desired consistency. The process is easy. Begin by pureeing a whole can of white beans and their liquid in a food processor or blender. You’ll only need one cup of the puree. One (15 oz.) can of beans makes almost 2 cups of puree. You can use the remaining puree in a soup or as a thickener for a sauce. Then in a blender add all ingredients, except the water and blend until smooth. If needed, add water to desired consistency but I didn’t add any to mine. Also, feel free to adjust the amount of anchovy paste if you’re not an anchovy fan. You can also use whole anchovies minced.
Toss with some chopped romaine hearts and serve. Yum! That’s it. So simple.
I’d love to hear about any favorite bean recipes you may have. Are you a classic chili bean lover? Is there a tasty bean dip you can’t pass up? Please share – can’t wait to see hear from you!
A few more healthy and tasty recipe options you may enjoy:
White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
A healthy version of the original.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of white bean puree (canned beans & bean liquid pureed in food processor or blender)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of about 1 lemon)
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons anchovy paste (adjust to taste)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 2 large cloves)
- 1/4 cup water (as needed)
Instructions
- In a blender combine bean puree, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, pepper, anchovy paste, and garlic until blended and smooth.
- If needed, add water to thin to desired consistency.
- Refrigerate until used.
Notes
Adapted from Joyce Goldstein; 2010 Worlds of Healthy Flavor Conference.
(Even though I have an ongoing relationship with Bush’s Beans, they did not compensate me for this post.)
Originally published March 3, 2010. Updated March 8, 2015.
I am so glad you shared this recipe – it’s a perfect option to cook with my students. I don’t feel safe enough to use raw egg with children…and I am sure their parents would thank me for using a healthy (and safe) alternative.
Sometime soon, I’ll write up the recipe I used in my Recipes from Books and Movies series of cooking classes. For the movie “Cars,” we made Step On The Gas Baked Beans… and with it, of course, came a bit of the science that often so fragrantly accompanies eating beans!
I’m a teacher too, cute story. New to the “bean scene” I’ve been eating them because they are just so healthy! Only been eating beans for about a year now because I was so weird about them. Now, I’d say try to eat a little every day.
Brilliant!! Caesar dressing is my absolute favorite, and I don’t even like other dressings besides vinegar. It’s hard to consume everyday though with the 20 g of fat in a tablespoon or 2! This sounds delicious!
Oooh, I must try this. All my life, my mother has refused caesar salad because raw eggs are against her religion. Not literally, but you’d think so with the way she used to slap my hand away from the stuff at a buffet.
this is so cool! I love cooking with beans for protein and keeping some dishes around here vegetarian. I used to make falafel with butter beans quite often too! I love this idea, thanks for the recipe!
Wow, Amy! Who’d have ever thought of using beans to make a Caesar dressing? I’ll bet it’s really tasty, too.
And, speaking of beans, I’ve just posted a yummy Black & White Bean Soup over on Never Enough Thyme. Come on by and check it out: http://www.lanascooking.com/2010/03/02/black-white-bean-soup/
And it was delicious!
I can’t wait to try this dressing. I love beans. Glad you had such a fun trip!!
My mom’s allergic to eggs–she’ll be thrilled to hear about this since so many dressings are off limits to her. You’d be amazed how many things eggs are in! Thanks!
well that’s just nifty! and here i thought caesar salad was a worthless creation that only served to take up valuable stomach room. great use for the beans, amy–i’m enticed!
What a great use for white beans! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
This is a great idea using beans! I love it so much. I can’t really stomach making homemade caesar dressing…a little gross. I can’t make homemade mayonnaise and hollandaise either. Ew!
That looks delicious Amy!! Great pictures and wonderful post! I Stumbled it, so hopefully more people will enjoy it too.
I can not wait to try this at home!
Susan
Great recipes and beautiful photos. We love beans too!
Excellent. I love Caesar dressing and a lightened version is always welcomed.
What a great recipe – I wouldn’t think to use beans for a dressing base. Love this!
Who would have thought! I’m so trying this. Done.
I would have never thought to use white beans – what a great egg-free recipe!!
This sounds great!! How long would you think this would last in the fridge? A week or so?
Yes, probably up to a week.
Not the recipe I was looking for but intriguing enuf to jump ship and check it out 🙂 I’m on the lookout for healthy, tasty bean dishes to take to work to replace my tired old not so healthy sandwiches so I’ll be digging around here to see what other clever, tasty bean creations you have up your sleeves.
I’m not a super huge fan of Caesar salad but if the dressing were thicker it sounds like it’d make a good bean dip 🙂