Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar Salad has always been one of my favorite salads and adding pasta to create Caesar pasta salad takes it to the next level!  This is one ding-dang delicious pasta salad recipes. 

It blends the iconic salad and tender pasta together beautifully. The chicken and bacon round it out to make it a hearty, eats-like-a-meal salad.

Like all my pasta recipes, Caesar pasta salad is bursting with flavor, is super simple, and feeds a crowd. You’re going to love the creamy, made-from-scratch dressing!!

I hope you’ll try my dill pickle pasta salad, tuna pasta salad, and or my pesto pasta salad next! I promise you’ll love them all!!! ♥

Let’s make this pasta salad!!

What I Love About Caesar Pasta Salad

• Feeds a crowd
• Great make-ahead option
• Super simple to make
• Hearty enough for a meal

How To Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Just like any pasta salad, Caesar pasta salad is quite easy to make with commonly found ingredients. Just remember you’ll need to plan ahead a bit to allow time for the dressing, pasta, and meat to get cozy!

1. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl until well combined and smooth.
2. Gently toss together all the salad ingredients, except the romaine, in a large serving bowl.
3. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerated for a minimum of 4-6 hours, or overnight, for best flavor.
4. When ready to serve, adjust the seasoning, gently mix in romaine, and add more milk (a few Tablespoons at a time) as needed to freshen and loosen up the dressing.

**See the full instructions below

Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients + Notes

• Be sure not to overcook your pasta. The pasta soaks up dressing and softens as it sits. Don’t cook the pasta beyond al dente and cool down it with a cold water rinse immediately after cooking.
• Making bacon crumbles- I like to cut the bacon partially frozen. First, cut it into long strips. Then, pile all the strips up and cut it into smaller pieces. Fry in a skillet or cook in the oven. Drain on a paper towel and pat with a second towel to remove as much grease as possible. If you want to cook it first, chopping in the food processor is another great way to make bacon bits.
  • I use mini penne pasta, but you can use any type of pasta you like. I also like to use spiral-shaped pasta like fusilli and cavatappi. Their nooks and crannies are perfect for holding the delicious dressing!
• Don’t be afraid of the anchovy paste. It doesn’t overpower the dressing and adds a lovely, tangy twist!
• Rotisserie chicken is a perfect option for this salad. It’s super convenient and delicious! Of course, you can simply bake a whole chicken, or a package of boneless, skinless breasts would work as well.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead

• How Long Can You Keep This? This will last nicely in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Can You Freeze This? Pasta salads with a creamy dressing like chicken Caesar pasta salad bowtie don’t freeze very well. However, this salad holds beautifully for several days in the fridge!
• Make-Ahead Tips: Caesar pasta salad with chicken feeds at least 10-12 people. It’s perfect for parties and family gatherings! If you’ve got an extra-large crew, it doubles or even triples easily!
  • If you’re making this more than a day in advance, I suggest storing everything separately. Just give the pasta, chicken, and the rest of the ingredients except the lettuce several hours to mingle with the dressing. Stir in the romaine just before you serve.
• Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.

More Seriously Delicious Pasta Salads

• Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing
  
• Antipasto Salad
  
• Taco Pasta Salad
• Tortellini Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Spaghetti Salad

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Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar pasta salad has classic Caesar taste with loads of extra flavor. Chicken, bacon, pasta, & veggies are perfectly topped with creamy, tangy dressing!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 23 minutes mins

Servings: 10 people

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Dressing:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream
• ▢ 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• ▢ zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1/4 cup milk

Salad:

• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) box mini penne, this pasta shape is my fav
• ▢ 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, cut in half
• ▢ 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• ▢ 3 grilled chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• ▢ 1 cup Parmesan, shredded
• ▢ 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ▢ 2 cups romaine, sliced into 1/4 ribbons

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl until well combined and smooth.
  
• Cook the pasta (16 ounces) according to package instructions, just until al dente. Rinse pasta and drain well.
• Gently toss together all the salad ingredients, except the romaine, in a large serving bowl. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerated for a minimum of 4-6 hours, or overnight, for best flavor.
  
• When ready to serve, adjust the seasoning, gently mix in romaine (2 cups), and add more milk (a few Tablespoons at a time) as needed to freshen and loosen up the dressing.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Caesar Mayonnaise Dressing
• 
  Chicken Pasta Salad (A Potluck Favorite!)
• 
  Mediterranean Pasta Salad (30-minute meal!)
• 
  Shrimp Pasta Salad

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Notes

1. Be sure not to overcook your pasta. The pasta soaks up dressing and softens as it sits. Don’t cook the pasta beyond al dente and cool down it with a cold water rinse immediately after cooking.
2. Making bacon crumbles- I like to cut the bacon partially frozen. First, cut it into long strips. Then, pile all the strips up and cut it into smaller pieces. Fry in a skillet or cook in the oven. Drain on a paper towel and pat with a second towel to remove as much grease as possible. If you want to cook it first, chopping in the food processor is another great way to make bacon bits.
   • I use mini penne pasta, but you can use any type of pasta you like. I also like to use spiral-shaped pasta like fusilli and cavatappi. Their nooks and crannies are perfect for holding the delicious dressing!
3. Don’t be afraid of the anchovy paste. It doesn’t overpower the dressing and adds a lovely, tangy twist!
4. Rotisserie chicken is a perfect option for this salad. It’s super convenient and delicious! Of course, you can simply bake a whole chicken, or a package of boneless, skinless breasts would work as well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/10 of the recipe | Calories: 768kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 857mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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