Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (2024)

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By: Leigh Anne Wilkes

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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.

Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (1)

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 asromaine lettuce, baby spinach, butter etc.
  • Cucumbers
Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (2)

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.
Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (3)

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:

  • Mexican Caesar Salad
  • Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
  • Chicken Caesar Salad Flatbread
  • Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • Tomato Chicken Pasta

Be sure and follow me over onYou Tubefor weekly cooking demos.

4.75 from 4 votes

Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (4)

Caesar Pasta Salad

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes

Mixed salad and pasta with a garlic caesar dressing.

serves: 4 servings

Prep:15 minutes minutes

Cook:10 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total:25 minutes minutes

Rate Recipe

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:

Calories: 776kcal (39%) Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) Protein: 23g (46%) Fat: 54g (83%) Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g Monounsaturated Fat: 24g Cholesterol: 17mg (6%) Sodium: 569mg (25%) Potassium: 596mg (17%) Fiber: 5g (21%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 1215IU (24%) Vitamin C: 28mg (34%) Calcium: 378mg (38%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.

Course:main dish salad, Salad

Cuisine:American

Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (5)

Did you make this?I love seeing what you made. Be sure to share a picture and tag @yourhomebasedmom on social media!

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Originally posted June 3, 2014

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

    • Leigh Anne says

      Thanks Mallory – it is a fun way to enjoy a caesar salad!

      Reply

  1. Rena says

    A new twist on Caesar Salad, Pasta! Why Not!
    Thanks for sharing something New!

    Reply

  2. Liz says

    Thank you Leigh Anne. So many lovely salad recipes.

    Reply

Caesar Pasta Salad | Recipe by Leigh Anne Wilkes (2024)

FAQs

What is the true story of the Caesar salad? ›

The Caesar salad is often believed to have been created by Julius Caesar himself. But it wasn't. Caesar salad was invented in the early 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef who owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico.

What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Pasta Salad
  • Using the wrong pasta. The wrong pasta type or size can make pasta salad soggy, slimy, or just plain hard to eat. ...
  • Salting only once, at the end. ...
  • Too many raw ingredients! ...
  • Overdressing or underdressing the salad. ...
  • Not seasoning again just before serving.

What is an interesting fact about Caesar salad? ›

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about the Caesar Salad
  • It's named for Caesar Cardini, the chef who created the dish. ...
  • The Caesar Salad has its own holiday on July 4. ...
  • The traditional way to make a Caesar Salad involves no chicken, meat, or anchovies.
Mar 11, 2022

Why is Caesar salad so popular? ›

The simplicity of the Caesar salad makes it less offensive to picky people; fewer ingredients means fewer special requests/omissions, usually just dressing on the side. The lettuce used is romaine, which is sturdy and has a fairly good refrigerator shelf life and is available year round.

Did Caesar have a baby? ›

Although Julius Caesar was married 3 times, he produced only 1 legitimate child: Julia Caesaris. She was born during the marriage of his first wife Cornelia. Julia later died in childbirth. Caesar was also believed to have had a biological son with Cleopatra: Ptolemy XV.

What is the story behind Bloody Caesar? ›

A half-century ago, a bartender at the Calgary Inn (now the Westin) was charged with mixing a co*cktail to mark the opening of the hotel's new Italian restaurant. Taking his inspiration from linguine with tomato and clams, Walter Chell invented the Bloody Caesar. The co*cktail's success was aided by synchronicity.

Is it OK to eat pasta salad every day? ›

If you love pasta, there's no reason to cut it out from your diet, the experts say. It can be a great way to pack in vegetables, healthy fats from nuts, olive oil and pasta sauces, Linsenmeyer says. "It's fine to include in a regular diet as often as every day. It really is."

Is it healthy to eat pasta salad every day? ›

Pasta salad can be a healthy meal option if it contains a variety of vegetables, lean protein, and a dressing that is low in saturated fat and added sugars. However, if the pasta salad is made with high-fat meats, cheese, and a creamy or oil-based dressing, it can be high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium.

What makes pasta unhealthy? ›

This is because refined pasta is high in carbohydrates, without offering much else in the way of nutrients. However, pasta can be made healthier if paired with more nutritionally dense foods, such as vegetables. Whole-grain pasta options are also healthy alternatives to traditional refined pasta.

How did Caesar salad get its name? ›

Hearing the name of the famous Caesar Salad it's easy to assume that the salad was named after a historic Roman Emperor but in reality the salad was named after Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant restaurateur.

Is Caesar salad Greek or Roman? ›

The salad's creation is generally attributed to the restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States. Cardini lived in San Diego but ran one of his restaurants in Tijuana to attract American customers seeking to circumvent the restrictions of Prohibition.

Is eating a Caesar salad healthy? ›

While many salads provide a mix of vegetables, Caesar salad consists primarily of romaine lettuce. Romaine is plenty healthy, but that lack of variety means you'll be getting less of a mix of nutrients. We recommend modifying the recipe to add more vegetables if you eat Caesar salads often as a vegetable source.

Is Caesar salad a thing in Italy? ›

You would not find it in Italy, but nonetheless it is a salad that was very popular in Italian American restaurants in the 60's and 70's and has made a strong come back now. You can find it in any deli or fast food locale topped with grilled chicken, shrimps or turkey.

Does a Caesar salad taste good? ›

Nowadays, the almighty Caesar salad reigns. Traditionally stacked high with romaine lettuce, anchovies and croutons, it's got plenty of visual appeal. Its taste, while hard to describe, is an amalgam of garlicky, smoky, salty and lemony.

How did they invent Caesar salad? ›

Caesar's daughter Rose Cardini claimed July 4th, 1924 was the exact day that her father created the Caesar Salad. Overrun by Americans and running short of supplies in the kitchen, her father threw together what was left: Stalks of lettuce, olive oil, raw egg, croutons, parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce.

How many biological children did Caesar have? ›

Julius Caesar had two biological children and one adopted child. He had a daughter named Julia with his first wife, Cornelia. Julia married Pompey in a marriage alliance and died in childbirth. He had a son with Cleopatra named Caesarion.

How was the Caesar salad created? ›

It was invented by an Italian man, Caesar Cardini, sometime in 1924, in his restaurant. It is said that Caesar was short of supplies and didn't want to disappoint the customers so he concocted this salad with what was on hand. To add a flair to this he prepared it at the table.

What does a real Caesar salad contain? ›

An authentic Caesar salad is a green salad of crisp romaine lettuce and croutons (sometimes made from stale bread) dressed with lemon juice, egg yolk, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Why was the Caesar invented? ›

The Caesar was invented in 1969 by restaurant manager Walter Chell of the Calgary Inn (today the Westin Hotel) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He devised the co*cktail after being tasked to create a signature drink for the Calgary Inn's new Italian restaurant.

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