Ingredients Needed
Pasta. I used Fusilli (corkscrew pasta) but any short pasta shape will work. Penne, rotini pasta, macaroni, bowtie pasta, shells, etc. Bread for croutons. I used ciabatta but sourdough or stale white bread can be used instead. Store-bought croutons are also a good substitute. Lettuce. Use crispy lettuce – Iceberg, Cos or romaine lettuce are all delicious in this salad. Parmesan cheese. Mayonnaise. Greek yogurt. Substituting half of the mayo for yogurt creates a lighter, fresher dressing. Feel free to use only mayo if preferred. Note: I also don’t add any olive oil to this dressing as the store-bought mayo contains oil already. Anchovies. Dijon Mustard. Fresh garlic cloves. Worcestershire sauce. Fresh lemon juice. Salt and black pepper. Other options: Feel free to add cherry tomatoes/grape tomatoes, avocado, crispy chickpeas, bacon bits etc will all be delicious. Cooked/leftover chicken chopped into bite-size pieces is a delicious addition and a great boost of protein.
How to make Caesar Pasta Salad
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, pasta salads are always great to make-ahead. My only tip would be to leave out the lettuce and only add once you are ready to serve. If you are making the salad the day before, I would also add the croutons right before serving to prevent them from going soggy. The creamy caesar dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container or jar in the fridge. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The lettuce will wilt so I pull any leftover leaves out of the salad before storing in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestions
Caesar pasta salad is a delicious lunch or meatless meal on its own but we love it with chicken breasts, roast chicken, rotisserie chicken, air fryer salmon or pan-seared pork chops for a simple weeknight dinner. It’s also a great dish to take along to picnics or potlucks.
Pasta salad recipes
