Caesar Pasta Salad

I really love this Caesar Pasta Salad. It is as great for summer backyard cookouts, as it is a quick meal just about any time of year topped with a little protein. Chicken or Salmon are my go-to's even some chicken nuggets from the freeze with leftovers, ha!

This pasta salad holds up really well for a couple of days in the fridge, and it makes a pretty big batch. I will make some of my Perfect Grilled Chicken and this salad and I have lunches for the week. It also makes a great dinner topped with a salmon fillet.

Ingredients

This ingredient list is super simple with a big impact. You need your favorite pasta, some romaine lettuce, parmesan, panko, black pepper, and some Caesar Dressing. Just about any pasta you like works here, but there is just something I love about mini bow-tie pasta for a pasta salad.

You can use homemade or store-bought Caesar dressing. The panko and parmesan cheese bring extra crunch and flavor to the final product.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Method

I start by testing the panko and parmesan in the olive oil, in a skillet on the stove. You could mix it together in a bowl and toast it in the oven too if you like, but it is often too hot in Texas for me to turn on the oven. It will clump a little, but when it cools you can break it up with your hands, or toss it in a mini food processor to make it fine crumbs.

Cook the pasta to package directions for al dente, then drain and rinse in cold water till cold. Then in a large bowl toss the pasta with the dressing and add the lettuce and half the crumbs.

Toss the salad all together and top with some cracked black pepper and it is ready to be enjoyed. I also like to serve it with a little extra dressing on the side, as the pasta seems to soak up a lot of it and having some fresh on top is welcome.

I make a meal out of this by topping this Caesar Pasta Salad with chicken, or even some Pan Seared Salmon as you can see below. That makes it one of my favorite summer dinners.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 8 cups

Caesar Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

I love this Caesar Pasta Salad. It is great for summer backyard cookouts, or a quick meal any time of year topped with a little protein.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 pound Pasta, cooked
• 2 cups Caesar Dressing
• 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
• ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
• 6 cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta to package directions, drain and rinse in cool water till no longer warm.
2. Toss the cooked and cooled pasta with 1 cup of Caesar dressing.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until glistening. Add in the panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and toss to combine, spread in an even layer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often until breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a large serving bowl, layer the lettuce across the bottom and top with the dressed pasta.
5. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and dust with the toasted breadcrumb/cheese mixture and a few cracks of black pepper.
6. Toss gently and serve immediately.
7. I like to serve this as a meal with chicken or salmon on top.

Notes

Notes & Tips

The pasta can be cooked and cooled for up to a day before assembling the salad. Cook to the package directions for al dente, drain, and rinse under cold water till completely cool. Then place it in a container and toss it with 1 cup of Caesar dressing and reserve until ready to toss and serve.

Once the lettuce and pasta are combined it is best to eat this the day it is made. However, it will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge but know the lettuce will begin to wilt a bit. I still enjoy it, you could also keep the lettuce to the side if you want to make this for meal prep.

Substitutions

Use any pasta you prefer for this recipe. I like bow-tie pasta but you can ABSOLUTELY make this with any pasta you have on hand or prefer.

I usually make my own Caesar dressing, but THIS is my favorite one to use if I am purchasing one at the store.

You really want to use panko for this recipe because it gives the crunch you want, fine bread crumbs would not work. If you do not want to make the parmesan bread crumbs, swap them for croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

Romaine keeps this true to a Classic Caesar Salad, you could also use iceberg if you like or prefer that.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 584mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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