Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe (No Anchovy)
This easy Caesar Pasta Salad recipe is a lighter take on the classic, swapping out the traditional mayonnaise for creamy, higher protein Greek yogurt. The result is a flavorful and refreshing pasta salad that’s perfect for a summer bbq or an easy weeknight meal. This version retains the signature tangy, garlicky, and umami-rich Caesar flavors while increasing the overall nutrient content of the salad.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
A classic Caesar is often considered an unhealthy salad. This is largely due to the very heavy and abundant mayonnaise-based dressing its lathered in. Replacing that with a Greek yogurt one instead that’s brimming with minerals (calcium, zinc, potassium, and magnesium) along with vitamins A, and B vitamins means filling our plates with more nutrients.
As this recipe also contains pasta the one chosen can make a significant difference to the nourishment it provides. My go-to is a lentil or chickpea pasta. They’re both higher in protein and fibre and lower in carbohydrates than regular, white pasta. That combination will help keep you full and ensure no spikes in blood sugar throughout the day. A legume-based pasta also means this salad remains gluten free so it can be enjoyed by all. Additionally, we also have romaine lettuce, which is high in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium and contains vitamins C, K, and B9.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
This salad comes together in no time with minimal prep work required for the base, and little extra time needed for the optional extras. The creamy yogurt-based dressing is simple to whip up, and the rest of the salad involves a simple toss of ingredients.
- Crisp Romaine lettuce/cos lettuce – the base of the salad, providing a crisp, refreshing foundation.
- Pasta – use a short-cut, sturdy type like penne pasta, fusilli, bow tie or rotini pasta. These will hold up best in the dressing and with tossing and serving.
- Fresh cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes – these add a pop of color and flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – provides a sharp, salty flavor and a nutty richness.
- Plain yogurt – creates a perfectly creamy and tangy base for the dressing with a little added protein. Greek yogurt is perfect.
- Garlic – adds a pungent, aromatic flavor.
- Lemon juice and red wine vinegar – provide a bright, acidic tang that balances the richness of the dressing.
- Dijon mustard and extra virgin olive oil – add a touch of spiciness and richness while helping to emulsify the dressing.
- Miso – adds a complex umami flavor to replace the anchovies.
- Salt and black pepper – salt helps to bring out the flavor of the other ingredients. Pepper adds a subtle warmth and spice.
- Optional extras to top the salad like sourdough croutons, crispy chickpeas and bacon, and boiled eggs.
One of the joys of a good Caesar salad is the crunch from ingredients like the lettuce and croutons. If romaine isn’t available where you are be sure to select another crisp lettuce variety. While not the same, iceberg lettuce would be a good choice, but it will slightly change the flavour profile of the dish.
How To Make A Caesar Pasta Salad
This recipe gives you a good volume of dressing because a well-dressed Caesar salad is what makes it extra delicious. The optional extras outlined are simply suggestions that try to stay true to a classic Caesar. However, they can be replaced with any other toppings you like.
- If using any of the optional ingredients prepare these now. I cook the chickpeas and bacon in the air fryer at the same time, followed by the croutons, and the eggs in the instant pot. Once ready, chop the bacon and peel the eggs, then set everything aside. See the notes section in the recipe card for a full run down on this.
- Cook pasta in the instant pot or on the stove top following packet directions until al dente. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside.
- For the homemade Greek yogurt caesar dressing – In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, the grated parmesan, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil and miso, if using, until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Prepare the other salad ingredients – Wash and dry the romaine lettuce and tear or chop it into bite-sized pieces. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters, and cut a few thin slices of parmesan.
- In a very large mixing bowl or salad bowl, layer the cooked pasta and romaine lettuce drizzling some of the dressing into each layer. Leave a little for the top.
- Gently toss these together, then scatter the croutons, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, bacon, boiled eggs and sliced Parmesan over the top to decorate the salad and drizzle over the last of the dressing.
- Serve the Caesar Pasta Salad immediately.
This salad is the perfect side dish, though can easily become a a main dish. Try it as a chicken Caesar salad with store-bought rotisserie chicken or more legumes of your choice. This extra protein makes the salad more filling and will give you a complete meal.
Substitutions And Variations
A traditional Caesar salad dressing contains raw egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies or anchovy paste. Those last two are important, as they add that real umami (very savoury) taste to the dressing. To create a vegetarian base for the dish these ingredients were omitted. However, the flavour profile is still there, as miso also imparts a savoury flavour. That said, if you want to add some of the original ingredients back into the dressing, replace the miso with 1-2 tsp of anchovy paste, and replace the red wine vinegar with Worcestershire sauce. No egg yolks are needed because the creaminess is already present in the Greek yogurt.
For added protein, and something different to chicken, try this salad topped with smoked salmon, pan-fried pancetta, or even some grilled prawns. It’s a very forgiving recipe and will go with most light/white proteins.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
If you do to enjoy this recipe over a few days or make it ahead for a gathering, I suggest keeping each element separate once prepped. With this done, pulling it all together each time you want a salad will take little to no time at all. Not storing things separately will result in the dressing making things like the lettuce, croutons, crispy chickpeas and bacon very soggy. These ingredients will quickly lose their texture when exposed to moisture.
Storing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just note the croutons and lettuce will go a little soggy under a heavy dressing so it’s best enjoyed fresh.
FAQ
No! Anchovy brings an umami (very savoury) flavour to a Casesar salad and caesar dressing. This can be replaced with something as simple as a teaspoon of miso in the dressing if you want to keep it free of seafood.
More Salad Recipes
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Caesar Pasta Salad (No Anchovy)
Ingredients
- 7 cups Romain/Cos lettuce (this was 2 medium heads of lettuce for me)
- 8 oz chickpea pasta (see note 1) (250g)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup crispy chickpeas (optional)
- 4 boiled eggs (optional)
- 1 cup croutons (optional)
- ½ cup bacon bits (optional)
- ¼ cup parmesan (see note 2) (grated to a powder-like consistency)
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
- 1 tsp salt
For The Dressing
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup parmesan (very finely grated)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp miso (optional – I used a white miso)
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using any of the optional ingredients (chickpeas, croutons, boiled eggs and bacon) prepare these now. See note 3 below for a full run down on how I do this.
- Cook pasta in the instant pot (see note 3), or on the stove top following packet directions. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside.
- For the Greek yogurt caesar dressing – In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ¼ cup of the finely grated parmesan, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and miso (if using) until smooth and creamy. Season with black pepper to taste then set aside.
- Prepare the other salad ingredients – Wash and dry the romaine lettuce and tear or chop it into bite-sized pieces. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters.
- In a salad bowl layer the cooked pasta and romaine lettuce drizzling some of the dressing and a little of the remaining ¼ cup of finely grated parmesan into each layer. Leave a little dressing for the top of the salad.
- Gently toss together, then scatter the croutons, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, bacon, boiled eggs and shaved parmesan over the top to decorate the salad.
- Drizzle over the last of the dressing and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC for 5 minutes.
- While it’s heating, drain a can of chickpeas and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add in ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp salt then toss to combine.
- Tip these onto an air fryer tray and slide it into position.
- Chop 2-3 slices of chunky sourdough and drop these into the now empty chickpea bowl. Drizzle with a little more olive oil plus ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp salt. Toss to combine, place on a tray and slide this into the air fryer.
- Finally, place 3-4 slices of bacon on your last tray and pop this into the air fryer too.
- Set the temp to 400ºF/200ºC and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the croutons, which should now be golden brown, and set aside. Re-set the temp to 400ºF/200ºC and cook for another 10 minutes or until the chickpeas and bacon are crisp. Chop the bacon, then set both aside until needed to assemble the salad.
- Cook the eggs while the other ingredients cook in the air fryer.
- Insert the steamer rack into the instant pot and pour in one cup of water.
- Add four eggs, put the lid on, press ‘pressure cook’ and adjust the time to 6 minutes.
- Once the time is up release the pressure, pop the eggs in a bowl of cold water for a couple of minutes then peel, chop into quarters and set aside.
- Add 8oz/250g of chickpea pasta to the instant pot along with 2 cups of water and ½ tsp salt.
- Press ‘pressure cook’ and set the timer to 1 minute.
- Once the time is up, hit ‘cancel’ and leave the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes.
- Use the manual release to release any remaining pressure, give the pasta a very good stir, then put the lid back on for another 5 minutes. This will help the pasta absorb any remaining liquid.
- At the end of that 5 minutes tip the pasta into a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Set aside until ready to use.
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY