Sophie Harris, Senior Lifestyle Reporter, shares her go-to summer side dish: a Caesar pasta salad that always gets recipe requests and never leaves leftovers. This versatile salad can be made ahead and is perfect for BBQs, casual get-togethers, or picnics.
Why This Salad Works
The salad delivers all the bold, punchy flavours of a traditional Caesar salad but is more filling thanks to the pasta. It is wonderfully versatile—Harris often mixes things up—and any variation is straightforward to put together. It can even be prepared in advance, making it ideal for social occasions.
Ingredients
For a large serving bowl:
- 300g pasta
- Three sweet gem lettuces, chopped
- Eight rashers of streaky bacon
- Three cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- 70g Parmesan, finely grated or shaved
- Croutons
For the dressing:
- 120g mayonnaise
- 60g Greek yoghurt
- Two tablespoons of lemon juice
- One tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- One garlic clove, finely grated
- 40g Parmesan, finely grated
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente according to packet instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. Next, cook the streaky bacon until crispy and leave it to cool. Cook your chicken according to the packet instructions. Harris notes, "I'll often use seasoned chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken."
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and Parmesan. Add a little cold water if needed to loosen it until it reaches a thick, pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste, although you won't need too much of either.
Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing, along with the chicken and bacon, and toss everything together until thoroughly coated. Next, add the chopped lettuce along with the majority of the Parmesan, tossing once more until everything is well combined. Just before serving, fold in the croutons so they retain some of their crunch. Finish with the remaining Parmesan and an additional crack of black pepper.
Serving and Storage
Serve straight away, or refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes beforehand if you prefer it cold. If preparing in advance, keep the croutons separate and stir them in just before serving.
