When I get in a pasta salad rut, one of my favorite ways to break out of it is to make pasta salad modeled after one of my favorite green salads. Cobb Pasta Salad and Greek Pasta Salad are two favorites. I’m almost always pleased with the outcome, probably because there are so few ingredients or flavors that I don’t like with pasta. Pasta is like a blank canvas you can use to let your creativity run free.
This Caesar Pasta Salad is modeled after my Caesar Coleslaw and it is a delicious and satisfying pasta salad. During the summer months, I love the nice crispy crunch of the romaine lettuce in a Caesar salad. There’s something so refreshing about it. I add enough romaine to this dish so you know it’s there, but not so much that it overtakes the pasta.
I make a creamy Caesar dressing from mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, and a few minced anchovies. You can leave the anchovies out if you really object to them. I add a big handful of grape tomatoes and they, along with the romaine lettuce and a sprinkling of chopped green onions, make the salad fresh and bright. A few croutons on top give some crunch and add a finishing Caesar salad touch.
Toss in a few diced grilled chicken breasts and you have yourself not just a crowd-pleasing side dish, but a dish that works as a light summer meal.
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to salt the cooking water for the pasta well or the pasta will taste bland. I use at least a tablespoon of salt.
- The anchovies can be omitted. If you do omit them, you may want to use a little extra Worcestershire sauce.
How To Make
(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add dressing to pasta. Toss just half the dressing with the cooked pasta and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients.
- Mix in the remaining dressing and serve.
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See how easy this recipe is to make. Watch the short video below.
Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 clove large garlic, pressed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 anchovies, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound penne pasta, cooked until al dente and rinsed with cool water
- 6 leaves large Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
- 4 green onions. green parts sliced
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 grilled chicken breasts, diced
- 1 1/2 cups croutons
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise through the Worcestershire sauce.
- Toss half of the dressing with the pasta and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Mix in remaining ingredients including the remaining dressing and serve.
Notes
Be sure to salt your cooking water for the pasta well, at least 1 tablespoon of salt.
Anchovies can be omitted. You might want to double the Worcestershire sauce if you do.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For More Pasta Salad Recipes Follow my Pasta Salad Pinterest Board
Originally published July 8, 2014.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks!
Made this for the family today on a hot and humid summer day, and it got great reviews!
Once made how long can I keep the salad in the fridge? I’m thinking of mixing everything except the lettuce and just adding that before I serve.
Love this recipe. We make it for all our BBQs. We actually use Ken’s creamy Caesar dressing and it is so good.
This is a family favorite ❤ I make multiple times a year. I was skeptical about the anchovies but followed the recipe as instructed….PERFECT
these are great things, do you teach them
I like you have created an excellent sharing blog or follow it.
looks really good
This was great! Everyone (including my super picky 3-year-old who doesn’t eat things that others swear their picky eaters loved) ate it up!
I forgot to mention, I marinated the chicken in Italian dressing before grilling and used green lentil penne pasta to up the protein/nutrition. On mine, I also substituted Stacy’s garlic, parmesan & herb baked pita chips for the croutons. Loved it!
Your dressing is out of this world!! Good job! And such a beautiful salad.
Thank you Nancy!
I made this on the fly with some left over grilled chicken in the fridge and I had to sub bottle dressing due to my hurry and it is amazing.. I am going to Florida in a few weeks and olan on making it there with the home made dressing.. Great recipe!!!
Glad you liked it Jen. Enjoy your trip to Florida!!