Featured Recipe

Twisted Pasta Caesar Salad

Name: Twisted Pasta Caesar Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 8 oz rigatoni pasta; 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt Caesar-style dressing; 2 tsp anchovy paste; 3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese; 1 cup garlic croutons; Freshly cracked black pepper; Salt to taste; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic minced

By Kate

Created on 26 January 2026

A riff on the classic Caesar salad with rigatoni pasta replacing traditional romaine base bulk. Pasta cooked al dente, cooled quickly to stop carryover cooking. Crisp iceberg takes over hearts of romaine for crunch and fresh bite. Creamy buttermilk dressing swapped for a tangier Greek yogurt Caesar dressing with anchovy paste for punch. Parmesan swapped for pecorino. Quick sautéed garlic croutons add a toasty aroma and crunch, made ahead to save time. Black pepper ground fresh at service. Salt adjusted gradually. Simple but bold flavors working in layers. Use leftover pasta or salad greens, rescue wilting greens here. Visual cues dominate.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 35 min

Serves: 6 servings

salad pasta Italian-American easy meal

Introduction

Knife skills in play cutting iceberg not romaine here. Texture balance key in salads involving starches. Rigatoni chosen for bite and shape holding the dressing well. Dented bowls and heavy spoons work better than flimsy plastics for tossing to avoid bruising the leaves or smashing pasta. Anchovy paste swapped in for dressing brings complexity without fishy aftertaste — you want umami shadow, not overt saltwater punch. Pecorino sharper and nuttier than Parmesan, cuts through creaminess. If pressed on time, croutons are the easiest to make ahead. Use any leftover bread that’ll firm up in olive oil. Rinse pasta or it sticks together, a sticky glob ruins mouthfeel. Tossing and seasoning happen in stages; too much salt and you mask subtlety.

Ingredients

8 oz rigatoni pasta

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1/2 cup Greek yogurt Caesar-style dressing

2 tsp anchovy paste

3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

1 cup garlic croutons

Freshly cracked black pepper

Salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

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About the ingredients

Rigatoni preferred due to ridges that trap dressing but penne or farfalle can work if desperate. Iceberg chosen here for clean crisp snap which contrasts creamy dressing—romaine adds more bitter vegetal notes altering profile. Greek yogurt dressing fuels a lighter base; mayonnaise or sour cream swaps possible but shift texture noticeably. Pecorino romano cheese sharper, saltier than Parmesan—cut amount if sensitive. Garlic croutons bring crunch and aromatic intensity, but store-bought croutons or even toasted nuts work in pinch. Anchovy paste optional but skipping means losing depth; if unavailable, add Worcestershire sauce cautiously. Olive oil vital for croutons for even browning; butter can burn easier. Freshly cracked pepper indispensable for brightness. Salt quantities vary by cheese and dressing saltiness—add incrementally.

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni. Stir immediately to prevent sticking. Check texture after 11-12 minutes. Bite should resist slightly but not be chalky. Drain in colander. Shock under cold running water until cool to stop cooking and rinse off starch that makes things sticky. Drain well and shake out excess water.

While pasta cooks, prepare croutons. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic. Sizzle will be noticeable in seconds — don’t burn. Toss in bread cubes (day-old cubed baguette or sourdough preferred). Stir till golden and crisp around edges, roughly 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Aroma will be garlicky, nutty.

Chop iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Iceberg chosen for crunch and subtle sweetness replacing romaine’s bitter edge.

In a large mixing bowl combine chilled rigatoni, chopped iceberg, Greek yogurt Caesar dressing mixed with anchovy paste for umami depth, pecorino romano cheese. Fold ingredients gently to coat pasta and lettuce evenly but keep texture contrast.

Add croutons last to retain crunch. Season with salt sparingly — cheese and dressing contain salt. Crack black pepper generously over everything. Toss lightly to distribute but not break croutons.

Serve immediately. If not serving right away, keep croutons separate and dress just before eating to maintain texture balance. The salad should look lively with the pale green crunch against white rigatoni and sharp cheese dusting.

Technique Tips

Salted boiling water foundational for pasta. Properly seasoned water means pasta tastes done even before dressing added. Check doneness visually—pasta plump but firm, not mushy or dried out. Cold water shock crucial to halt cooking and avoid clumping. Rinse breaks starch film, preventing gummy mass but remember to drain effectively. Croutons sautéed in low-medium heat olive oil, garlic release fragrance then sublimate, keep moving bread cubes to avoid burning, aromatic swirl cues readiness. Mix dressing and anchovy paste thoroughly before combining with pasta/lettuce for even flavor. Tossing technique: using large bowl, lift ingredients gently folding to maintain crouton crunch and leaf integrity. Add croutons after combined dressing so they don’t sog. Fresh black pepper late keeps spice aromatic. Serve fast; letting salad sit ruins texture. If prepping early, hold components separately.

Chef's Notes

💡 For croutons, day-old bread works best. Cube evenly for uniform toasting. Control heat when sautéing, too high burns garlic. Golden but not dark.
💡 When cooking pasta, salty water vital. Al dente means firm bite. Rinse well after cooking. Sticky pasta ruins salad texture.
💡 Iceberg gives great crunch, but stay fresh. Any wilting? Toss with fresh greens to revive. Contrast in textures key.
💡 Mix dressing and anchovy paste well. Even distribution crucial. If dressing is thick, loosen with tiny bit of water. Easy adjustments.
💡 Serve salad immediately for best texture. Croutons can get soggy if mixed too early. Keep components separate if prepping ahead.