Straightforward and comforting Caesar Pasta with all of the flavors of the a basic Caesar! Made with al dente pasta tossed in a wealthy and creamy parmesan and lemon sauce with garlic and anchovies, topped with garlicky toasted breadcrumbs.
If you happen to love this flavorful pasta recipe, wait till you do this Garlic Bread Pasta, too!
Garlicky Caesar Pasta Recipe
As if I wanted any excuse to justify pasta rather than salad, alongside comes this recipe for the creamiest, tastiest, most satisfying Caesar pasta. All of the flavors of a basic Caesar salad, rolled up in a brilliant simple and scrumptious pasta dinner?
It is a wealthy and creamy, ultra-flavorful pasta recipe. Caesar pasta is so simple as boiling your favourite noodles, then tossing them in a silky sauce constituted of lemon, parmesan, anchovies, and garlic. I throw in a pinch of chili flakes, too.
Prime all the things with crispy toasted breadcrumbs (my makeshift croutons), and you’ve got a hearty meal that all the time will get rave opinions at dinner events. The breadcrumbs are my absolute favourite a part of this dish. Past including taste, the crispy crunch is perfection.
The place Does the Title Caesar Come From?
Enjoyable reality: Opposite to fashionable perception, the Caesar salad wasn’t named after Julius Caesar. It was named after Caesar Cardini, the Italian man who invented the well-known salad!
What You’ll Want
Under I’ve rounded up the components you’ll have to make this flavorful Caesar pasta. If you happen to’ve ever made your individual Caesar salad dressing, you’ll probably acknowledge just a few of them. Make sure you scroll to the recipe card for the complete ingredient quantities.
Butter: I take advantage of salted butter, however unsalted may also work.
Breadcrumbs: Instead of crunchy croutons, prime your Caesar pasta with a beneficiant sprinkle of toasted garlic Panko breadcrumbs.
Garlic Powder: For seasoning the breadcrumbs.
Pasta: Bucatini or spaghetti are good choices, or you need to use any sort of pasta you favor.
Parmesan Cheese: It wouldn’t be Caesar something with out freshly grated parmesan!
Recent Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the sauce. Keep away from bottled lemon juice as the flavour simply isn’t the identical.
Mustard: Dijon mustard provides a deliciously tangy taste and delicate warmth to the pasta sauce.
Egg: We’re making this Caesar pasta Carbonnara-style with a freshly cracked egg to emulsify the sauce and make it additional wealthy and creamy.
Olive Oil and Garlic: You’ll want good-quality olive oil for sautéeing with garlic for aromatics.
Anchovies: The key ingredient in a basic Caesar salad. Anchovies have a salty, briny taste that blends into this sauce, the identical because it does in Caesar dressing. Be at liberty to scale back the variety of anchovies in the event that they aren’t your factor (see under).
Pink Pepper Flakes: For a delicate, spicy kick. Add extra or fewer chili flakes to style, together with black pepper for seasoning.
Garnish: Sprinkle over freshly chopped parsley and extra parmesan.
Can I Substitute Anchovies?
Not everyone seems to be loopy about anchovies, and that’s honest sufficient! If you happen to’re not a fan, you possibly can scale back the quantity, or depart them out altogether. Capers make a superb substitute (additionally when you’d prefer to make this recipe vegetarian).
Learn how to Make Caesar Pasta
Who’s prepared to show a well-known salad right into a restaurant-worthy pasta dinner? Right here’s how simple it’s to make Caesar pasta in simply half-hour:
Toast the Breadcrumbs: First, you’ll add breadcrumbs to melted butter in a saucepan. Season with garlic powder, after which let the breadcrumbs brown over medium warmth, till golden.
Cook dinner the Pasta: Subsequent, set your breadcrumbs apart whilst you deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dinner your alternative of pasta in response to the package deal instructions. Earlier than you drain your noodles, reserve about 1 and a half cups of pasta water (you’ll use it to make the sauce subsequent).
Put together the Sauce: Now, whisk collectively parmesan with lemon juice, Dijon, and an egg for the bottom of your Caesar sauce. In a skillet, gently sauté your garlic and anchovies, together with the chili flakes and some cracks of black pepper. Mix all the things within the skillet, adopted by 1 cup of pasta water, then permit the sauce to cook dinner till thickened (this occurs rapidly, about 1-2 minutes).
Mix: Lastly, switch the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If wanted, pour in a bit extra pasta water to get the sauce good and creamy. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs, recent parsley, and parmesan simply earlier than serving, and luxuriate in!
Ideas for Success
This recipe is big on taste, however very low effort to make. In a phrase: Superior. I’ll impart some closing knowledge in terms of making the very best pasta:
Salt the pasta water. Add a beneficiant spoonful (or two) of salt to the water when boiling the pasta. Salted water provides taste to your pasta noodles and in addition to the sauce afterward.
Use pasta water to make this recipe creamy. Pasta water is filled with starch from the boiled pasta, don’t let it go to waste! All that additional starch helps emulsify the sauce and make it creamy.
Don’t overcook the eggs. Watch out to not boil the sauce as soon as the egg combination is added to the pan, in any other case, the eggs might scramble.
Variation Concepts
Who doesn’t love a flexible pasta recipe? Similar to a salad, you possibly can adapt this recipe with completely different add-ins or swap up the components to style. Listed here are some concepts:
Completely different Pasta: This recipe will work with nearly any pasta selection. Attempt it with linguini, tagliatelle, penne, fusilli, bow-tie pasta, and many others.
Rooster Caesar Pasta: For added protein, stir in cooked Shredded Chicken, or cube up leftover Chicken Tenders to serve over prime.
Shrimp: Make this Caesar pasta Shrimp Scampi-style, and add cooked shrimp.
Add Greens: Stir in wilted spinach or sauteed kale.
Add Veggies: Add in cooked mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, or chopped asparagus.
Serving Recommendations
Serve this Caesar pasta with a facet of sliced French Bread or fluffy Garlic Knots for mopping up the leftover sauce. It’s additionally simple to serve with a recent inexperienced salad or spinach salad, drizzled with home made Greek Dressing.
Leftover Caesar pasta could be saved hermetic within the fridge for as much as 2-3 days. The breadcrumbs will lose their crunch over time. Because of this, when you’re planning to make this pasta forward or anticipate plenty of leftovers, I like to recommend leaving off the breadcrumbs and garnishes till you’re able to reheat and serve.
Reheat your pasta within the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop till heat. If wanted, add a bit extra water to assist loosen up the cream sauce.
Can I Freeze Caesar Pasta?
Sure, although I additionally advocate freezing the pasta earlier than including the breadcrumbs. Retailer the cooked Caesar pasta in a freezer-safe container and maintain it frozen for as much as 3 months. Defrost the leftovers within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.
A creamy and comforting Caesar Pasta recipe with all of the flavors of the basic salad! Created from tender pasta tossed in a flavorful parmesan and lemon sauce with garlic and anchovies, topped with crispy garlic breadcrumbs.
4 tablespoons salted butter
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound bucatini or spaghetti
4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup recent lemon juice (1 – 2 lemons)
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 giant egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces anchovies, drained and minced (*see notice)
1 teaspoon crimson pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon recent black pepper
Non-compulsory garnish – recent chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese
Prep breadcrumbs: In a small skillet warmth the butter on medium warmth. Add within the breadcrumbs and garlic powder and cook dinner till frivolously golden, stirring sometimes. Put aside.
Pasta: Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook dinner the pasta in response to the package deal instructions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water.
Make the Caesar sauce: Whisk collectively parmesan cheese, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and egg. Put aside.
Add oil to a big skillet on medium warmth. Add within the garlic, anchovies, crimson pepper flakes, and black pepper. Cook dinner for 1 minute till the garlic is aromatic. Add within the reserved dijon combination and cook dinner for 1 extra minute. Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook dinner till thickened, 1 – 2 minutes.
Assemble: Add pasta to the skillet and coat with sauce, including extra pasta water to attain a creamy sauce, if vital. Prime with breadcrumbs and recent parsley, and extra parmesan cheese. Serve instantly.
Notes
*you possibly can scale back the quantity of anchovy to 1 ounce when you favor a milder taste.
Key phrases: caesar pasta, creamy pasta recipe, simple pasta recipes
