Caesar Salad is great. Pasta salad is great. But this Tortellini Caesar Salad gives you the best of both worlds. See, there’s still cool and crunchy romaine, a classic salty Caesar dressing, and plenty of parmesan, but there’s also tender cheese tortellini tucked in. It makes for a salad that’s a bit more substantial, and the comforting chew of tortellini is excellent in contrast to the crunch of the croutons. (And since those croutons and the dressing are homemade, you can be sure that the flavor of every component here is spot on.)

The nice thing here is that you can bake the croutons and boil the tortellini while you chop and assemble the other components, so while there are a few things to get ready, it doesn’t take all that much time. And homemade croutons make all the difference – they’re crisp and crunchy on the outside while the interior still has some give.

Another thing that makes all the difference is the homemade dressing. It’s creamy and savory and garlicky and we make it incredibly easy on you. All you need is a whisk and a few ingredients to bring it together. Mayo forms the base, and that’s dressed up with fresh garlic, lemon juice, a bit of Worcestershire and dijon mustard, and a squirt of anchovy paste. I like using anchovy paste because you still get that signature flavor but you don’t have to deal with a blender or food processor like you do when you’re using a whole, intact tiny fish.

Once the tortellini are cooked, the croutons are crisped, and the dressing has had some time for the flavors to meld, all you have to do is combine the ingredients and give them a toss. We’ve included some chopped chicken as well, but this salad is plenty hearty without it thanks to the croutons and tortellini.

Caesar salad is really a simple thing – lettuce, cheese, croutons, dressing – but it’s all about that salty-savory incredible balance of flavors with the fresh crisp lettuce. Here, tortellini adds one more layer of flavor and texture without complicating matters… you just get the added comfort of pasta and some extra cheesiness in the mix!