Whip up this quick and easy vegan Caesar pasta salad recipe in under 20 minutes from start to finish. You will love the combination of Romaine lettuce, whole grain pasta, crunchy chickpea croutons, and other veggies tossed in a creamy vegan Caesar dressing!

I love salad and pasta, so I combined my vegan Caesar salad with pasta and crunchy garlic chickpea croutons for a fabulous vegan Caesar pasta salad recipe. If you love garlic and lemon, this tasty vegan pasta salad is a great weeknight meal in under 20 minutes.
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For those who avoid pasta, this Caesar pasta salad contains more vegetables than pasta. However, the small amount of pasta makes this salad hearty and filling for a weeknight dinner or lunch.
Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce: Romaine Lettuce is crispy and fresh and stays crunchy when dressed.
- Cucumbers: I chose English cucumbers because they contain fewer seeds, so the salad doesn't get soggy.
- Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes come in various colors and contain fewer seeds than other tomatoes, keeping the salad from getting soggy.
- Chickpeas: The canned chickpeas are roasted and become crispy, like croutons.
- Garlic Powder: The garlic powder is used to season the croutons and gives them a garlicky flavor.
- Onion Powder: The onion powder is also used to season the chickpeas croutons.
- Whole Grain Pasta: I chose to use rotini-shaped pasta because I like how the dressing gets into the nooks and crannies on the pasta.
- Green Onions: Green onions, also called scallions, are light and add a faint onion flavor.
- Capers: The capers we see in the grocery store are the un-ripened green flower buds of the plant. Once they're picked, the immature buds are dried and then preserved. Capers are either cured in salt or pickled in brine, which is what gives capers their trademark savory, briny flavor profile
- Vegan Caesar Dressing: I make a creamy vegan Caesar salad dressing with cashews that is creamy, garlicky, and delicious.
Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any type of greens, such as spinach or kale.
- I chose to use English cucumbers because they are firmer than regular cucumbers and contain fewer seeds, keeping the salad from getting soggy.
- Cherry tomatoes are similar to grape tomatoes.
- Instead of chickpea croutons, use this Polenta Croutons recipe or Garlic Croutons - Crispy and Oil Free.
- Choose red or yellow onions instead of green onions.
- Try green olives in place of capers.
- Buy your favorite vegan Caesar dressing.
Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Raw Cashews: The raw cashews are the creamy base for this vegan Caesar pasta salad dressing. See substitutions below for nut-free substitutions.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard is tangy and gives the dressing depths of flavor.
- Water: The water acts as an emulsifier in place of oil and thins the dressing.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: I like Annie's brand, but Wizard makes a great vegan Worcestershire.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder adds a depth of flavor to the dressing.
- Lemon Juice: I prefer fresh lemon juice over bottled juice when making sauces and dressings.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds additional fresh garlic flavor to the dressing.
- Capers: Capers add a savory umami flavor to the other ingredients.
Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of cashews, choose sunflower seeds or hemp hearts.
- Another substitution is to use unsweetened, unflavored vegan yogurt or silken tofu, but reduce the water in half.
- Or try white beans instead of cashews, and reduce the water by half.
- Stone-ground mustard is similar to Dijon mustard.
- Try soy sauce, Tamari (gluten-free option), or liquid aminos instead of vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- If you don't have fresh garlic add more garlic powder.
- Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch.
- Green olives substitute capers in recipes.
Making Chickpeas Croutons
- Preheat the air-fryer or oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a bowl.
- Season with garlic and onion powder.
- Toss to coat the chickpeas.
- Place the seasoned chickpeas on an air fryer pan in a single layer (or a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Air -fry for 8-10 minutes. Or, roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
How to Make the Pasta Salad
- While the chickpeas cook, cook the pasta and make the dressing.
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender cup; blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Drain the pasta and run cold water over the noodles until cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the Roamin lettuce, cooled pasta, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, capers, and pasta.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine.
- Add the chickpea croutons, and toss.
- Serve with Vegan Parmesan Cheese on the side or as a garnish (optional)
Recipe FAQs
Overcooking or undercooking pasta is the most common mistake made when making pasta salad. Undercooked pasta makes it challenging to chew, whereas overcooked pasta is gummy and mushy!
Yes, there are two reasons to rinse pasta. The first reason is to stop the pasta from cooking. The other reason is to make the pasta ready immediately.
Often, pasta salad tastes better the next day because the flavors develop over time.
Tips
- When lemons are inexpensive and in season, juice them and freeze them in ice cube trays or Souper Cubes to have fresh juice all year.
- If you don't have a high-quality blender, soak the cashews overnight, or boil the cashews for 10 minutes, rinse, drain, and blend.
- Make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate while you make the salad.
- Cook the pasta while the chickpeas cook (same time) as a time-saving tip.
- Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta immediately.
- Toss half the dressing with the noodles, then add the remaining ingredients before adding the rest.
- Add the crunchy chickpea croutons last.
Try this vegan Caesar pasta salad recipe for a quick, easy weeknight dinner or lunch in under 20 minutes!
Great Vegan Salad Recipes to Try
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📖 Recipe
Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup Dry Whole-Grain pasta cooked (I used Rotini shape) Yields 2 cups cooked
- 12 ounces Romaine hearts, chopped
- 1 bunch Green onions, sliced thin
- 1 cup English cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup Grape tomatoes Cut in half
- 2 teaspoons Capers
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese Garnish optional
Chickpea Croutons
- 1 15 ounce can Chickpeas, drained
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salad
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- 1 recipe Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
Instructions
Chickpea Croutons
- Preheat the air-fryer or oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a bowl.
- Season with garlic, onion powder, and salt.
- Place the seasoned chickpeas on an air fryer pan in a single layer (or, a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Or roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the chickpeas cook, cook the pasta and make the dressing.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
- Add the ingredients to a high-speed blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill.
Preparing the Salad
- Rinse and drain the pasta and rinse in cold water until at room temperature.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.
- Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Toss to combine.
- Now. add half the dressing and toss it into the pasta and vegetables.
- Add the chopped lettuce and toss.
- Add more dressing if desired.
- Toss in the chickpea croutons and capers.
- Add the capers and stir into the salad.
Video
Notes
- When lemons are inexpensive and in season, juice them and freeze them in ice cube trays or Souper Cubes to have fresh juice all year.
- If you don't have a high-quality blender, soak the cashews overnight, or boil the cashews for 10 minutes, rinse, drain, and blend.
- Make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate while you make the salad.
- Cook the pasta while the chickpeas cook (same time) as a time-saving tip.
- Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta immediately.
- Toss half the dressing with the noodles, then add the remaining ingredients before adding the rest.
- Add the crunchy chickpea croutons last.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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