This vegan Caesar Pasta Salad is savoury, tangy, and garlicky, with a fantastic combination of textures, from crunchy baked chickpeas to crisp romaine and tender pasta. Delicious!
What happens when you combine the savoury, garlicky, crisp-and-crunchy goodness of a Vegan Caesar Salad with pasta salad? You get this Caesar pasta salad recipe, of course! This is the kind of recipe that’s perfect for bringing to potlucks and parties as a side dish, but you could also make a meal out of it on a weekday. (And when I was testing this recipe, my family was more than happy to have it for dinner!)
What Makes This Caesar Pasta Salad a Win
There’s so much to love about this recipe! Let’s discuss:
- Amazing texture. A lot of pasta salads have one texture: mushy noodles. But this Caesar pasta salad doesn’t disappoint in the texture department! It combines the noodles with romaine and crispy chickpeas, giving you lots of variety.
- Caesar flavour, but vegan. A typical Caesar dressing is made with anchovies, Parmesan, and sometimes mayo. My version swaps in nutritional yeast for the Parm and uses tahini for creaminess. (We’re not even going to bother replacing the anchovies because: ick.)
- A recipe for everyone. Even meat eaters are going to love this Caesar pasta salad, which is why it’s so great for bringing to a potluck! This is the kind of dish where everyone’s going to be asking you for the recipe.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegan Caesar pasta salad! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Baked Chickpeas:
- Chickpeas – Using canned chickpeas is easiest, or use dried chickpeas and cook them first.
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sea salt.
For the Vegan Caesar Dressing:
- Oil – You can use any neutral oil you like.
- Tahini – Store-bought or make your own tahini.
- Garlic – For extra layers of flavour, use Roasted Garlic.
- Capers – Capers have a bright, briny flavour that adds some depth to the dressing in lieu of the anchovies. It doesn’t mimic the flavour of anchovies, but it gives the dressing interest. Another option is Kalamata olives.
- Nutritional yeast – Or Vegan Parmesan.
- Dijon mustard
- Lime or lemon juice
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- Water – To adjust the consistency of the dressing.
To Assemble the Salad:
- Spiral pasta – Like rotini or fusilli.
- Romaine lettuce – Make sure you dry this well before assembling the pasta salad to keep the dressing from getting watered down.
- Vegan bacon – You can use store-bought or homemade, like my Vegan Bacon Crumbles, Crispy Vegan Bacon, or Tofu Bacon.
- Vegan Parmesan – I like shavings for this recipe, so I buy a wedge and use a vegetable peeler to shave it.
How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad
This recipe comes together with minimal effort. Here’s what you’ll need to do!
- Make the chickpeas. Dry them well and toss them with the oil and seasonings. Bake at 400ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.
- Cook the pasta. Boil it in salted water until it’s al dente, following the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Make the dressing. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend and stream in the water until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Assemble. Add the pasta, romaine, and vegan bacon to a large bowl and then toss everything with the dressing. Top with the vegan Parm and crispy chickpeas.
Tips and Variations
I’ve got a few more pointers before you get started with this Caesar pasta salad.
- Al dente is a must. When cooking pasta for a pasta salad, it should always be very slightly under-cooked. The pasta will absorb the dressing and get softer, so you never want to start with fully cooked noodles!
- Use croutons for a more traditional option. I use crispy chickpeas for a protein-packed swap for the usual croutons, but if you’d prefer going the traditional route, go ahead and use croutons instead!
- Add the lettuce and chickpeas just before serving. If you’re not serving this recipe right away, I recommend adding the lettuce and chickpeas when you’re ready to eat to keep them super crispy!
What to Serve With Caesar Pasta Salad
As I mentioned above, you can totally make a meal out of this recipe , maybe with some Roasted Garlic Bread on the side. This recipe pairs well with all kinds of picnic foods and backyard favourites too, from Loaded Potato Salad to Vegan BLT Sandwiches. It would be an amazing side for Vegan Quiche too!
How to Store
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. The romaine will wilt during storage, but you can revive your pasta salad a bit by adding more chopped romaine just before serving.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this Caesar pasta salad recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Baked Chickpeas (Crouton Substitute):
- 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas rinsed and drained – 265g (yields about 1 cup / 165g after baking)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil 15mL
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1.5g
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 1.5g
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1.5g
For the Vegan Caesar Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons oil any neutral oil – 30mL
- ¼ cup tahini 60g
- 3 cloves garlic minced or roasted
- 2 teaspoons capers 10g
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 6g
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 5mL
- 1-2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice to taste – 15–30mL
- ½ teaspoon sea salt 3g
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 0.5g
- ½ cup water 120mL
For the Salad:
- 8 ounces spiral pasta rotini or fusilli – 225g
- 1 ½ cups chopped romaine lettuce 85g
- ½ cup cooked vegan bacon chopped or crumbled – about 50g
- ¼ cup vegan Parmesan shavings 15g
- 1 cup baked chickpeas from above – 165g
Instructions
Bake the Chickpeas:
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Pat the chickpeas very dry with a kitchen towel.
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Toss them with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
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Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25–30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until crispy. Let cool.
Cook the Pasta:
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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Add spiral pasta and cook until al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
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Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
Make the Caesar Dressing:
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In a blender or food processor, combine oil, tahini, garlic, capers, nutritional yeast, mustard, lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper.
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Start blending, then add water gradually until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assemble the Salad:
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In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped romaine lettuce, and vegan bacon.
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Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
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Top with vegan Parmesan and baked chickpeas just before serving for crunch.