Not only will this salad be on repeat over the warmer months, but so will this Italian Pasta Salad, Mediterranean Orzo Salad, and my Chicken Macaroni Salad. Adding pasta to a green salad is a great way to make a salad more satisfying and gives you the chance to turn it into a main dish. But what I think I love most is that this recipe is crazy easy! The most time consuming part is just cooking the pasta! Plus, we all need an easy go-to salad recipe for our busy lives. This one fits the bill for delicious, healthy, and extremely easy!
Why This Recipe Works:
Make in 20 minutes or less! Uses simple, easy to find ingredients Can be made as is for a side dish, or add in chicken or shrimp for protein and a more satisfying meal. Made with a Greek yogurt based Caesar dressing for a lightened up salad. Is versatile! Use a different noodle shape, add in avocado, tomatoes, bacon, olives, etc.
Caesar dressing: I LOVE my homemade Caesar dressing. I recommend making the dressing from scratch but if you’re pressed on time, you can pick up a good quality Caesar from the store. Croutons: I like to buy the Caesar flavored croutons, but any croutons work just fine. They add a delicious crunch and are a classic Caesar must! Romaine lettuce: the crispy, bright, fresh flavors from romaine hearts work perfectly with this salad and hold up well with the rotini pasta. Be sure to wash and rinse the salad really well, I love using my salad spinner to make it easy! Parmesan: Grab the large shaved Parmesan shreds. They taste delicious and look pretty in the salad, too! Rotini pasta: I used 8 oz. and it was plenty with about 4-6 cups of romaine lettuce. Add as much or as little pasta as you prefer.
