What all goes into a Caesar salad?

Caesar salad dressing is made with olive oil, anchovies, garlic, lemon, Worcestershire, dijon, salt, pepper, and pecorino. Unlike classic Caesar salad, we use kale instead of crisp romaine lettuce, and toasted breadcrumbs instead of croutons. And add pasta!

What mistakes should I avoid when making pasta salad?

Be careful not to overcook the pasta—cook just to al dente. Don't mix everything together until ready to serve. Ingredients like breadcrumbs or cherry tomatoes should be added just before serving to preserve texture. Finally, avoid skimping on seasoning!

What gives Caesar salad its flavor?

There are so many flavor components that go into Caesar dressing and the salad itself, but Worcestershire adds a particularly briny taste, and anchovies add umami depth.

Zesty Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

Description

Punchy and flavorful, this Kale Caesar Pasta Salad is perfect for potlucks and gatherings. Made with a creamy, no-mayo Caesar dressing, lemon zest, and garlicky toasted panko.

Ingredients

Units

12 ounces of pasta- rigatoni, penne, ziti, fusilli or rotini pasta
1 extra-large bunch lacinato kale, 5-6 ounces, 4 cups
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup pecorino cheese, shaved (or sub shaved parmesan)
2 lemons, zest and juice, divided (to use below)

Optional additions: Aleppo or Urfa Biber for sprinkling, 1/4 cup red onion, 1 tablespoon capers, ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, cherry tomatoes

Caesar Dressing

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 anchovies (2-ounce tin, drained)
6 garlic cloves
1/3 cup lemon juice (from lemons above, save the zest)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste.
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup pecorino cheese, sliced, or grated

Toasted Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup panko
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fat garlic clove, grated
lemon zest from one lemon

Instructions

Pasta. Cook pasta in ample salted water, cook to al dente, according to package directions. Rinse with cool water, drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, and chill until ready to use.
Toast Panko. In a skillet, add the olive oil, panko, and grated garlic. Season with salt and pepper and toast over medium heat, stirring, until crispy, golden brown. Stir in the lemon zest and turn the heat off.
Caeaser Dressing. Place all the Caesar ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It will taste salty and tangy- this is needed for the pasta.
Prep Kale. Tear the kale off the stems and chop into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and massage the leaves with 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil for 1-2 minutes. This will tenderize it.
Combine. Add the chilled pasta to the bowl, along with half of the shaved pecorino, half the zest, and the dressing to coat well- you may not need all. Toss to coat well. Refrigerate until serving. The pasta will soak up the dressing a bit, so add more as needed.
Serve. When ready to serve, toss in half of the panko. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper (the pasta likes to soak up the flavor). Sprinkle with remaining panko and shaved pecorino. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Aleppo chili flakes or Urfa biber are nice here too.

Notes

If adding red onions, capers, or parsley, feel free to add them in step 5. Add cherry tomatoes right before serving.

Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Pasta salad can be made one day ahead.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 309
Sugar: 1.8 g
Sodium: 425.9 mg
Fat: 18.6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
Carbohydrates: 29.1 g
Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 7.5 g
Cholesterol: 7.6 mg