Healthy Caesar Pasta Salad
If you’re looking for more high-protein, meat-free meals, you’ll love this caesar pasta salad. Try this healthy lunch or dinner from a dietitian.
As a registered dietitian, nutrition matters to me. But what matters just as much is that I don’t have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen to feed myself nutritious meals. Who has the time?!
That’s why I love easy recipes like this healthy caesar pasta salad. It’s loaded with nutrition (protein, fiber, and micronutrients), but it is incredibly fast and easy, too. And it genuinely tastes good, so I’m not left craving a cheeseburger two minutes after the meal is over.
Perfect for lunch or dinner, this nutrient-dense meal will be your new weekday staple.
Why you’ll love it
No meat: Leftover chicken can give some of us the ick… I get it! This meat-free recipe is just as protein-packed and filling than other options.
High protein: This easy salad packs over 30 grams of vegetarian protein.
High fiber: Did I mention it has 13 grams of dietary fiber too?! That means it’s good for your heart, colon, and overall health.
Easy: The hardest part about this recipe is that you’ll have to boil pasta. But you can do that in advance!
Fast: Once the pasta is prepped, this meal comes together in less than 5 minutes.
Ingredients
You’ll need six simple ingredients to make this healthy caesar pasta salad:
- High protein pasta — I use red lentil pasta for its protein and fiber, but use what you like!
- Chickpeas — for more protein and fiber
- Romaine — you could also use kale, but I like romaine for crunch
- Parmesan crisps — like these! If you can’t find them, just use croutons
- Hemp hearts — optional but nutritious
- Greek yogurt caesar dressing — this is my recipe, but feel free to use any store bought caesar or yogurt caesar like this one from Bolthouse Farms
What’s the best high protein pasta?
I like lentil and chickpea pastas best for their protein and fiber.
If you’re in Canada (like me!), I love this red lentil pasta from Catelli or this one from Bentilia. Banza is sometimes sold as Costco, too.
If you’re in the US, you have a lot more options! I’d recommend the Barilla Protein+ Pasta, Barilla Lentil Penne, or anything from Banza.
Honestly, there are lots of awesome brands and products available. Just look for something with 15-20 grams of protein per 3.5 oz serving!
How to make caesar pasta salad
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix.
If you’re eating it now, enjoy immediately!
If you’re making this to enjoy later, store the dressing and cheese crisps separately and add right before eating.
What else can I add?
This salad is delicious on its own! But if you want to add more toppings for extra nutrition or flavor, here are some tasty options:
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Shredded carrots
- Sliced avocado
- Pickled red onions
- Diced rotisserie chicken
- Chopped bacon
Frequently asked questions
Other great alternatives are chickpea pasta or any pasta labeled as “protein pasta”. Try to look for options with 15-20 grams of protein per 3.5 oz serving if you’re not adding meat.
Absolutely, this would be delicious and even higher in protein with chicken! I’d recommend adding 1/3 cup chopped rotisserie chicken or homemade chicken breast.
The Whisps brand I linked in the recipe are usually easy to find, but you can also check with the deli counter / cheese section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them, just use croutons!
Sure! But please note the recipe will have less protein and fiber if you do. You could try swapping chickpeas for chopped chicken, tuna, lentils, or another type of bean if you’d like.
Although this is written as a single-serve recipe, it’s easy to make four servings since I used a quarter of the pack of pasta and chickpeas! Simply multiple the recipe times four and distribute toppings evenly amongst food containers. For meal prep, store the salad dressing and cheese crisps separately and add right before eating.
Nope! I linked my greek yogurt caesar dressing for a lighter option, but you can use any caesar dressing you enjoy. If you’re working toward weight loss, a yogurt-based dressing may work better since it’s lower in calories.
Healthy Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 package cooked red lentil pasta, about 1 cup
- 1/4 can drained and rinsed chickpeas, about 1/2 cup
- 2 cups chopped romaine
- 2 Tbsp parmesan crisps
- 1-2 Tbsp hemp hearts, optional
- 2-3 Tbsp greek yogurt caesar dressing, storebought is fine too
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix. If you're eating it now, enjoy immediately! If you're making this to enjoy later, store the dressing and cheese crisps separately and add right before eating.
