Tortellini Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is a classic for a reason, but sometimes a classic needs a little more heft to turn it into an actual meal. That’s exactly what my Tortellini Caesar Salad does. I took the crisp, briny, lemony flavors you already love and folded in plenty of cheese tortellini, so every bite has something chewy and satisfying to go along with the crunch. Add in some buttery Castelvetrano olives and a big handful of Parmigiano Reggiano, and you’ve got a salad that can easily stand in as dinner.

So, why the tortellini, SoupAddict? That’s a very valid question, lol. Caesar salad makes a lovely side to a hearty main dish. But, for my tastes, it’s not a meal salad. And I think it deserves to be one.

Some salad lovers bulk up their Caesar salads with chickpeas or roasted chicken. I went the pasta route because I’m an absolute sucker for cheese tortellini. Love it, love it, love it. In everything: soups, salads, skillet meals. Plain in a bowl. I simply dig the tortellini and concluded it’s just the thing this salad needs to make it something more than a bowl of lettuce with some bling.

If you love salads that are hearty enough to stand in for a main dish (me!), I hope you’ll also check out my charcuterie-stuffed Italian Antipasto Salad, my zesty Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad, or my protein-packed Cobb Salad Lentil Bowl. These substantial salads, like today’s Caesar salad, will convince even the grumpiest skeptic that salads are, indeed, meal-worthy!

Key Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients that make this salad special. The full list with quantities appears in the recipe card below.

Lettuce — Traditional Caesar salads use romaine lettuce, which has sturdy green leaves on a crunchy center stalk. You can substitute any similarly textured lettuce, such as green leaf, iceberg, or even kale (remove the tough central stems). Soft and tender lettuce leaves won’t stand up as well to Caesar dressing. I’m currently jamming on green leaf lettuce from 80 Acres hydroponic farm here in Ohio.

Tortellini — Refrigerated cheese tortellini is my go-to here because the simple cheesy filling within adds just enough extra flavor to keep the pasta from being boring. Honestly, you can use just about any tortellini and filling combo. I sometimes use spinach and ricotta when the cheese version is out of stock.

Castelvetrano olives — I’ve been on an olive kick all summer long, especially for my lunch salads, and Castelvetranos are hands-down my favorite. Mild and buttery, they complement, rather than take over, the flavors in a salad. Naturally high in glutamates — i.e., umami essence — their briny notes and meaty texture are a welcome addition to my Caesar salad.

Croutons — It’s definitely not a Caesar salad without croutons, whether homemade or store-bought. If making from scratch, use a bakery baguette, if you can, as grocery store options are just not the same. If that’s your only option, however, let the bread sit for an extra day. Day-old bread makes better croutons! For extra texture on the salad, crush a handful of the croutons into breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the salad. If you’re using store-bought croutons instead, you’ll need 4 to 5 ounces.

Parmigiano Reggiano — This nutty, salty, umami-infused cheese is pretty much the key to the success of a Caesar salad, so it’s worth hunting down the best that your budget allows. You can identify authentic Parmigiano Reggiano by the outer rind, which is usually included in chunks or wedges taken from the wheel. The rind has the words “Parmigiano Reggiano” repeated in a dotted font all over the wheel. I use both finely grated and shaved cheese for the various elements of this salad. Pro tip: use a peeler to slice off irregularly sized shavings.

Dressing — You can use homemade or bottled dressing. My dressing recipe takes the less complicated route by using mayo and anchovy paste in a tube rather than eggs, oil, and anchovy fillets. If you want to print or bookmark just the dressing recipe, see my Easy Caesar Dressing post here. You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for several days.

The Caesar Dressing: Which to Use, Homemade or Bottled?

Arguably, the dressing is the most important part of a Caesar Salad, as the traditional version of the salad is somewhat bland without something bright and creamy to jazz it up. So, here’s the question: Should you go all out and make homemade dressing, or buy something you’ve enjoyed before from the store?

Long story short: the choice is up to you! There’s no shame in the bottled game. You and I live in the real world, right? And sometimes the day’s goings-on support a homemade concoction. And sometimes grabbing a bottle from the store shelf is all the energy we can devote to the dressing effort.

The one thing I will say about a homemade Caesar dressing is that traditional versions include a raw egg yolk and anchovy fillets. Either of which makes some people squeamish. Personally, I’m okay with anchovies, but I have a robust distrust of raw grocery store eggs in the U.S., no matter the brand, and, at any rate, people with certain health conditions should avoid raw eggs, due to the threat of salmonella.

My easy recipe sidesteps both of these ingredients: I use a high-quality commercial mayo (such as Duke’s) instead of a raw yolk and oil, and anchovy paste instead of dealing with messy, smelly cans of fillets. The purpose of the egg yolk and oil is to keep the dressing emulsified (e.g., smoothly mixed), which the mayo takes care of.

We’ll call it “Easy Caesar Dressing” and just go with it!

Tips for the Best Tortellini Caesar Salad

Because this salad has just a few ingredients, it’s important that each carries it own weight to make the best recipe. Here are my secrets for success:

• Keep the lettuce fresh and crispy: Although romaine is a great option, as long as you choose a lettuce with some crunch to it, you’re golden. Clean and dry the lettuce as close to assembling the salad as possible to stave off wilting. Also, chop those leaves and stalks — salad should never have to be cut with a knife and fork! Unless you’re making, I don’t know, Caesar salad romaine lettuce boats, lol, don’t serve the romaine — or any lettuce — in its full-leaf form in a salad. Bite-sized pieces, please.
• Use day-old bread for homemade croutons: This especially comes into play if you’re using a rustic loaf, such as a baguette or sourdough. Fresh bread has two distinct textures: the crusty crust, and the soft interior crumb. Those components will toast in the oven at different rates: It will take longer for the soft crumb to reach a crispy toasting than the outer crust. Which often means the crust will be too hard, or even singed. Day-old bread has lost much of its moisture, and the interior crumb will toast up faster.
• Use both whole and crushed croutons: Toasted breadcrumbs add a satisfying texture to the tops of many dishes (think, mac & cheese), and this salad is no exception. But, of course, we still want that crackling bite of a whole crouton. You can have both from just one batch of croutons. Take a handful of the whole croutons, place them in a plastic zipper bag, and pound on them a little with a rolling pin, or a heavy can, until they break into coarse crumbs. Then sprinkle over the salad.
• Cook the tortellini to al dente: Check the packaging instructions for how long to boil the pasta. Some brands need just three minutes; others five minutes. While I personally love the texture of slightly overcooked pasta, here, tortellini that’s too soft will start unfolding out of its ring shape.

How to Make Tortellini Caesar Salad

Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through and summary of making the salad.

Prepare the dressing

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. The dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept in the fridge.

Make the croutons

Slice or tear the baguette into 3/4” to 1” pieces. You can go with neatly sliced cubes or rustic, scraggly, hand-torn pieces. Toss them with the oil and seasonings and bake until golden and toasty. Cool and store in an airtight container at room temp until ready to use.

Cook the tortellini

Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain in a colander. Run cold water over the pasta to help it cool.

Assemble the salad

Add the lettuce to a bowl and top with the olives and grated parm, spooning a little dressing over the leaves, and mixing to lightly coat. Add the cooled tortellini, more dressing, and fold to distribute throughout the salad. Crush some of the croutons into breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the salad, along with the whole croutons and shaved parm. Top with more dressing as desired.

Recipe FAQs

However you serve it, up as a main dish or alongside something off the grill, this Tortellini Caesar Salad might just become a regular in your dinner salad rotation. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Drop a comment below and let me know what you think, or share any twists you made to the recipe.

Tortellini Caesar Salad

by Karen Gibson

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Tortellini Caesar Salad combines cheese tortellini, romaine lettuce, Castelvetrano olives, Parmigiano Reggiano, and homemade croutons in a creamy lemon Caesar dressing. A hearty pasta salad recipe ready in about 30 minutes, perfect as a main dish or a substantial side.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

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For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• Zest from one large lemon
• 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove , peeled and minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic paste)
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Regianno cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the croutons

• 1 baguette (day-old is perfect)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon flaky salt , such as Maldon’s

For the salad:

• 9 ounces refrigerated tortellini pasta*
• 12 ounces romaine lettuce , cleaned, dried, and chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives , sliced or chopped (measure before slicing)**
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Regianno cheese
• 1/3 cup shaved Parmigiano Regianno cheese , optional for topping

Instructions

 

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Make the dressing:

• Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk well. If too thick, add small amounts of water or lemon juice between whisking until it’s your desired consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Make the croutons:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Slice the loaf into 3/4" thick slices and then or slice or tear the slices into 3/4” rough pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle all of the seasonings over the top. Toss to mix. Spread out the croutons on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once, or until the croutons are golden and toasty. Oven temperatures and intensity can vary, so keep an eye on the croutons starting at the 10 minute mark. Let cool before using.

Cook the tortellini:

• Cook the tortellini according to package directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta before adding to the salad.

Assemble the salad:

• Add the lettuce to a large 1 1/2 to 2 quart serving bowl and fold in the cooled tortellini, olives, and grated parm. Drizzle about a 1/4 cup of the salad dressing over the leaves and toss to distribute.
• For extra texture, crush a small handful of the toasty croutons into coarse breadcrumbs and stir them into the salad.
• Finish the salad with croutons, shaved parm (if using) and as much dressing as you’d like. Serve immediately.

Notes

If your air fryer has a roomy basket, you can air fry the croutons instead. Preheat the unit, and then air fry at 350ºF for 7 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket every couple of minutes or so to expose all sides of the cubes.

* As of the writing of this recipe, popular brands of refrigerated tortellini — that is, partially cooked pasta that’s packaged and located in the refrigerated section (often with other pastas and canned biscuits) — are sold in 9- or 10-ounce packages (as well as family size). It’s okay if the measurements vary by an ounce or two in either direction.

** Castelvetrano olives are usually packaged whole, pitted or unpitted. This will likely change in the near future as they become more and more popular and manufacturers start selling them pitted and sliced, like green or black olives. Sliced or chopped olives leave less empty space in a measuring cup, so a 1/2 cup of whole olives will end up somewhere around a 1/3 cup chopped.

Keyword tortellini caesar salad

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