Combine two beloved classics-Chicken Caesar Salad and Pasta Salad-into one irresistible dish: Caesar Pasta Salad! Crisp romaine lettuce, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked pasta all tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing. Add crunchy croutons, and a generous sprinkle of salty Parmesan cheese, and you've got a salad that's sure to become a new favorite. Make it gluten-free or not, even vegetarian if desired. Plus, there are three ways to make this salad!
This caesar pasta salad is perfect for gatherings, meal prep, or any time you crave a fresh, satisfying meal. It's especially nice in hot weather when cool foods are not just welcome but needed. Use grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken, homemade caesar dressing or bottled, and store or homemade croutons.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Three ways: Make all of the parts homemade, some homemade, or buy them all.
- Make ahead of time and combine to serve.
- Use leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken
- Make it with gluten-free pasta or use regular pasta.
- Make homemade croutons or use store-bought.
- It's a great main dish as it's got everything.
For another terrific pasta salad, try this lemony Mediterranean pasta salad.
Recipe Ingredients
I've listed just the Caesar pasta salad and dressing ingredients, but have recipe links to the homemade gluten-free croutons and grilled chicken if you want to make it all as I do.
For the Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chicken: Use either grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken, whatever cooked chicken is easiest.
- Lettuce: Crisp romaine leaves are the best for a Caesar salad. Get whole heads and tear or chop yourself.
- Caesar dressing: You can buy bottled but homemade take just a minute in a blender with only healthy ingredients (and it's gluten-free).
- Pasta: Choose a short pasta shape such as rotini pasta, bow-tie pasta, penne pasta or elbow pasta. Use either gluten-free pasta or regular wheat pasta.
- Croutons: Once again, either store bought for speed and ease or use my homemade croutons recipe. They are sooo good.
- Parmesan cheese: For Caesar dressing if you are making homemade, plus more for over the top as a garnish.
For Homemade Caesar Dressing
What make a good Caesar salad? The dressing. This creamy homemade Caesar dressing is restaurant quality, made in a minute in the blender.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is best but avocado oil will work.
- Lemon: The acidity in fresh lemon juice lifts the flavor.
- Egg: You only need the yolk, emulsifies the dressing.
- Mustard: Go with Dijon mustard for flavor plus it's a natural emulsifier in dressings.
- Anchovy: Anchovy paste in the tube adds a subtle depth of flavor without being fishy, but it is optional. Trust me, I can't stand anchovy but it's good in this dressing.
- Garlic: Fresh is best, finely zest.
- Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar adds richness and depth.
- Worcestershire sauce: A must! Adds a savory, umami boost to Caesar dressing.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor, or tryn Mexican Cotija.
Please see the recipe card for all measurements, plus salt and pepper.
If you love creamy dressings, try this creamy ginger vinaigrette.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a vegetarian Caesar pasta salad, swap the chicken with hard boiled eggs (1-2 per person), halved and served on top of the salad. Another good add is chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Toasted pepitas make a fantastic extra garnish and take minutes to make.
- Add cooked or grilled corn kernels for more texture and flavor.
- For more color, add a chopped red onion, halved grape tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes, or slivers of colorful bell peppers.
How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad
This is a salad of components: Romaine lettuce, leftover cooked chicken, Caesar dressing, pasta, and croutons. You can make Caesar pasta salad 3 ways:
- All homemade, and can be done ahead.
- Partially homemade.
- All store purchased, just assembly.
My photos are for if you are making Caesar pasta salad with all homemade components. Make the Caesar dressing the day of serving as it has a raw egg yolk. It takes a minute in the blender.
Homemade components: gluten-free croutons recipe, Caesar dressing recipe. For chicken, I used leftover boneless skinless grilled chicken. Make the marinade in the blender, add the chicken, and grill the next day, then chill and chop.
Serving Suggestions
When you add the chicken to this Caesar pasta salad it's truly a complete meal. Serve it with extra dressing, extra Parmesan, and extra croutons (because they are fantastic), so everyone can customize if desired. For more of a side salad, skip the chicken.
You can also skip the croutons and serve with crusty garlic bread.
Recipe FAQs
Short shaped pastas work the best for a Caesar pasta salad. Look for rotini, corkscrew pasta (cavatappi), elbow macaroni, fusilli, and farfalle (bowtie pasta). Penne or mini penne may also work.
Cook the pasta until just done, called al dente. Taste a piece to test. Don't overcook it. Then drain and rinse the pasta under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and lay the past out on a clean kitchen towel to dry before chilling in the refrigerating (if making ahead) or using in the salad.
Yes, this is a great make ahead salad. Ready each component ahead of time and refrigerate, then toss together and dress at serving time for the best texture.
More Great Salads and Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Caesar Pasta Salad
Equipment
- blender if making homemade caesar dressing
Ingredients
Caesar Salad
- 12 ounces hearts of romaine 3 large heads in a package
- 4-6 ounces pasta gluten-free or regular, cooked
- 1 pound chopped cooked chicken grilled or rotisserie
- 1 cup croutons gluten-free or regular
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Caesar Dressing (yield ¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste in a tube optional
- 1 large garlic clove finely chopped or zested
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese or Mexican Cotija cheese
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 2 pinches white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
Homemade Caesar dressing
- Place the lemon juice egg yolk, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender and puree on lowest speed for a few seconds to blend.
- With the blender top on and the center top removed, slowly stream the oil into the blender until dressing is creamy and emulsified. Increase the speed as you go. Add the Parmesan and puree until creamy. If the dressing gets too thick, add either a little more lemon juice or warm water to make it the consistency you prefer.Refrigerate the dressing until serving time in an airtight container. Due to the egg yolk, the dressing lasts 2-3 days max in the refrigerator. Be sure to label and date.
Make the salad
- Pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling sated water, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and allow pasta to dry on a clean kitchen towel or baking sheet. Refrigerate until serving time so it's cold.In the mean time work on the other parts of the salad.
- Lettuce: Slice the hearts of romaine crosswise into 1-inch strips. Separate the leaves and wash (if not pre-washed), then dry well and chill. Using a salad spinner makes it easy.
- Chicken: Cube or shred the cooked chicken.
Serving the salad
- Add the romaine, chicken, and pasta to a large salad bowl and toss with a few tablespoons of Caesar dressing. Top with the croutons and Parmesan cheese. Serve extra dressing on the side along with more cheese and croutons.
Notes
Nutrition
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