This Caesar Pasta Salad is everything you love about classic Caesar salad but with the heartiness of pasta! It’s tossed in a homemade creamy Caesar dressing, packed with crisp romaine, Parmesan, and crunchy croutons, and is the perfect side dish or main course. Whether you’re making it for a BBQ, potluck, or easy weeknight meal, this dish comes together in just 20 minutes.
Love pasta salad? Try BLT pasta salad or dill pickle pasta salad next!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Quick & Easy Recipe
- Ingredients You Need
- How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad
- More Pasta Salads
- Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- How to Get the Texture Right
- Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
- FAQS
- Coconut Smoothie Bowl Recipe
- Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Prep and Storage Tips
- More Smoothie Recipes
- Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Love to switch up classic salads? Try this Burrata Caprese Salad, Peach Burrata Salad, or Grilled Peach Salad.
Ingredients You Need
Love Caesar salad? Try salmon Caesar salad or brussels sprout Ceasar salad next.
How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad
1️⃣ Make the Croutons: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the torn sourdough bread with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crispy.
2️⃣ Prepare the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth.
3️⃣ Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chopped romaine, shaved Parmesan, and toasted croutons.
4️⃣ Toss & Serve: Drizzle the salad with desired amount of dressing and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper, extra Parmesan, and chopped parsley.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Caesar Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
Caesar Salad Dressing
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or mayo
- 2 Tablespoons milk any kind
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Salad
- 2 cups torn sourdough bread
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces short cut pasta (I used Rotin), gluten-free if needed
- 6-8 cups romaine lettuce washed and chopped
- 1 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- To top: fresh cracked black pepper, shaved parmesan cheese, and/or chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat then oven to 425°F and brush a large baking sheet with olive oil. Toss the cubed sourdough in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10-12 minutes, tossing halfway through.2 cups torn sourdough bread, 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.8 ounces short cut pasta
- Whisk together the Caesar dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Blend it in a food processor if you want the dressing extra smooth.3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons milk, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Add the cooked pasta, chopped romaine, shaved parmesan, and toasted crotons to a large salad bowl. Toss the salad with desired amount of dressing. Serve with fresh cracked black pepper.6-8 cups romaine lettuce
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this today for lunch and it was delicious! If eating for a whole meal, this is more like 4 servings instead of 10. I added hard-boiled egg for more protein on mine and it was great. Good tip to get the Tessamae Cesar Dressing.