This Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe is bursting with flavor from the juicy tomatoes, sharp parmesan, and crunchy romaine lettuce. Perfect for a summer cookout, barbeque, or weeknight meal!

Classic Pasta Salad

Caesar Pasta Salad is a classic and delicious side that is a favorite for any occasion. It is a perfect make-ahead dish full of flavor with crunchy croutons, Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and pasta. The best part is that it is so simple to make with bottled Caesar dressing. This is a perfect side dish to enjoy at a cookout or any weeknight meal.

• Need more pasta salad recipes? Check out this Pesto Pasta Salad.

Ingredients

• Pasta: The noodle choice is up to you. Make it simple with a classic macaroni, go fancy with bowtie, or use penne like the pictures.
• Cherry Tomatoes: I like the look of cherry tomatoes plus they’re so much easier to use. Just slice them in half or even keep them whole if you prefer. But dicing up a larger tomato won’t change the flavor at all.
• Shredded Parmesan: This can be confused easily with grated parmesan but I highly suggest you use shredded instead. They have two totally different flavors. The shredded is typically found in the refrigerated section with other cheeses and comes in a small container.
• Olives: this seems to add a little sharpness and Italian flavor to the dish but is totally optional if olives aren’t your thing.
• Romaine Lettuce
• Caesar Croutons: I love the extra crunch that croutons bring to the dish. Can be left out but I think your tastebuds might be a little disappointed.
• Caesar Dressing: Ken’s Caesar Dressing works so well with this dish since it’s extra thick and creamy with a good strong flavor that pops. But you absolutely can use any other brand or homemade if you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This pasta salad is easy to make. All you have to do is:

1. Prepare pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente and then rinse it with cold water.
2. Assemble the pasta salad: Add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, olive, parmesan cheese, and lettuce to a large bowl. Then pour in the dressing and mix until the dressing is evenly covering all the ingredients.
3. Chill and serve: Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with croutons and add a little extra dressing if necessary.

Budget/Time Saving Ideas

This recipe is fairly inexpensive and quick to make there are always ways to save money or time. Here are a couple of ways to save time or money:

• Add grilled chicken to make this into a main dish for it to go a little farther.
• Use whatever tomato is the best price and readily available.
• Eliminate tomatoes or olives.
• Meal prep will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You may need to freshen it up with a little more dressing the longer it sits. Add the croutons when ready to eat.

Storage options

To store leftovers of the Caesar Pasta Salad, cover in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Take note that after a few hours, the pasta will absorb some of the liquid. The texture will change and become softer but it is still delicious. You can add a little extra dressing if it becomes dry or needs to freshen up. Keep in mind, the croutons will get soggy if they sit overnight.

More delicious side dishes

• Easy Black Bean Corn & Avocado Salsa: tastes so refreshing and zippy with a burst of flavor in every bite.
• Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad: full of flavor with fire-roasted corn, bowtie pasta, and a creamy chili lime dressing.
• Best Creamy Corn Dip Recipe: a party favorite appetizer with corn, sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese that comes together in just minutes!