Caesar Pasta Salad

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.

Jump to:

• Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients
• Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredient Substitutions
• Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients
• Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
• Making Chickpeas Croutons
• How to Make the Pasta Salad
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Great Vegan Salad Recipes to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

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

1. Preheat the air-fryer or oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a bowl.
3. Season with garlic and onion powder.
4. Toss to coat the chickpeas.
5. 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.
6. 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

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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