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Caesar pasta salad is served on a small white plate with a fork laying across the edge. The bowl of salad is behind it.

Caesar Pasta Salad (No Anchovy)

Crisp romaine lettuce, protein-rich pasta and a creamy yogurt dressing makes this Caesar Pasta Salad a refreshing twist on the classic.
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ, Easy, Summer
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time for optional extras: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 459kcal
Author: Gabby Campbell

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

Note 1: Chickpea pasta is my preference because of the added nutrients it contains. You can of course make this with white pasta if preferred.
Note 2: I put the parmesan into my blender and pulverise it so it's almost powdered. This will give the dressing a much better texture than grated cheese.
Note 3: I use both my instant pot and air fryer to make quick work of the ingredients that form the salad topping. While optional they do make it extra delicious! I also use the instant pot to make the pasta. Of course - feel free to cook these anyway at all you like. The info below is just a suggestion based on what I've found quickest, and easiest in my kitchen.
Air fryer for crispy chickpeas, bacon and croutons. If you have an air fryer with trays like I do, you will be able to cook these all at once. If your air fryer has a basket you will need to cook each of them separately or consider doing it all in the oven.
  • 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.
Instant Pot for boiled eggs
  • 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.
Instant Pot for a quick cook of the pasta
  • 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.
Most chickpea pasta will say to cook for 6 or 7 minutes so the directions here reflect that timing for the instant pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1319mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5118IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 6mg
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