This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
Caesar Pasta Salad brings the flavor of your favorite salad to pasta dish. Serve it as a side salad or add chicken to make it a delicious summer dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Yesterday I shared with you some amazing Main Dish Salads – hope you didn’t miss them! Be sure and check them out. Today’s salad recipe was given to me by a friend that is a vegetarian. This friend has since moved away and we’ve lost contact but I always loved attending potluck parties with her because she always brought such delicious things. Caesar Pasta Salad is one of those things. Don’t you just love a good potluck! I think some of my favorite recipes have come from friend’s who brought them to a potluck dinner party!
Ingredients Needed
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey Dijon mustard
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Farfaille Pasta. Also called bowtie pasta. You could also use rotini noodles.
- Parmesan cheese
- Walnuts. I like my walnuts toasted.
- Mixed salad greens such as romaine lettuce, baby spinach, butter etc.
- Cucumbers
How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad
- In a food processor or blender, combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper, olive oil and pulse until mixed.
- Cook pasta in boil water until al dente and drain well.
- Toss half of dressing mixture with pasta and place in a closed lid container or zippered storage bag and refrigerate until ready to use (2 hours or overnight)
- Combine all the ingredients including the lettuce, nuts cucumbers, cheese and pasta and dress with the remaining salad dressing as needed.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste
Tips for Making Caesar pasta Salad
- To make this a main dish salad you could add in some grilled chicken or salmon.
- Do not dress the salad before you are ready to serve.
- You can precook the pasta and place in the marinade 2 hours to overnight before serving.
Other Things to Add In:
- Tomato. Diced tomato, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- Protein. Add in your favorite protein such as grilled chicken or salmon.
- Top with some homemade croutons
- Onions. Red onions or white onions
- Anchovies if you please.
- Green onions
- Black Olives
For other yummy salads try these:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp honey dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lb. Farfaille Pasta
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted
- 8 cups mixed salad greens romaine, spinach, butter etc.
- 1 1/2 cups peeled quartered cucumbers
Instructions
Dressing
- In a food processor combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper, olive oil and pulse until mixed.
- Cook pasta until al dente and drain well.
- Toss half of dressing mixture with pasta and place in a closed lid container and refrigerate until ready to use (2 hours or overnight)
- Combine all the ingredients and dress with the remaining salad dressing.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste
Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted June 3, 2014
Mallory @ Chocolate with Grace says
I love caeser salads! This looks so yummy as a pasta salad!
Leigh Anne says
Thanks Mallory – it is a fun way to enjoy a caesar salad!
Rena says
A new twist on Caesar Salad, Pasta! Why Not!
Thanks for sharing something New!
Liz says
Thank you Leigh Anne. So many lovely salad recipes.