What happens when you combine a Caesar salad with a pasta salad? This dish right here.

It’s creamy, tangy, a little crunchy, and loaded with flavour—basically everything you love about a Caesar, but in pasta salad form. The blanched broccoli adds some green, the avocado makes it feel a little fancy, and the homemade dressing pulls it all together. This Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad is perfect for summer lunches, BBQs, or when you just want something satisfying but fresh.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Caesar salad meets pasta salad: It’s the best of both worlds—creamy, tangy, crunchy, and super satisfying.
• Meal prep-friendly: Make it ahead and enjoy all week. Just wait to add the avocado and breadcrumbs until serving.
• Customizable: Easy to tweak based on what you’ve got in the fridge—switch up the herbs, veggies, or pasta shape.
• Bold flavour, simple ingredients: The homemade Caesar dressing comes together with pantry staples and packs a punch.

Ingredients for Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad:

Pasta: I used radiatore because all the little ridges hold onto the dressing and toppings so well, but feel free to use any pasta shape you love.

Broccoli: I like to quickly blanch it so it stays bright green and slightly tender. Raw works too if you prefer more crunch.

Avocado: Brings a soft, creamy contrast to the crunch of the broccoli and breadcrumbs.

Fresh herbs: I used green onions and basil here (two of my favourites). You could also use dill, Italian parsley, or chives.

Breadcrumbs: If you’ve got stale bread, pulse it in a food processor and sauté in butter for the dreamiest golden crumbs. Panko works too in a pinch!

Parmesan: Some fresh, finely grated parmesan cheese completes the pasta salad. You’ll also use parmesan in the dressing.

Ingredients for the Caesar Dressing:

Mayonnaise or Greek yogurt: Use mayo for a classic base, or Greek yogurt for a lighter version—both are great! This takes the place of the traditional egg yolks in a Caesar dressing. I like using a mixture of both!

Olive oil: Helps the dressing come together and adds great flavour—especially if you’re using extra virgin.

Garlic: Finely mince or grate one garlic clove so that it incorporates nicely into the dressing and adds that garlicky punch to every bite.

Lemon juice: Brightens everything up and balances the creaminess.

Dijon mustard: Not traditional, but adds a nice tang and extra depth. Skip it if you’re not into mustard.

Worcestershire sauce: Brings in that savoriness you need in a Caesar. You can swap for anchovy paste if you have it on hand.

Parmesan: Adding some finely grated parmesan into the dressing gives classic Caesar finish!

Salt & black pepper: Season to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Prep for Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad:

You can get a lot of the prep out of the way ahead of time to make assembly super quick:

• Blanch the broccoli then roughly chop once cooled.
• Rinse and chop the fresh herbs (do this the same day you’re assembling so they don’t wilt in the fridge).
• Pulse the stale bread for the breadcrumbs in the food processor, or chop with a knife. If you toast the breadcrumbs in butter before you’re ready to assemble, just store in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled.
• If you choose to boil the pasta ahead of time, hit it with a bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
• The dressing can be made in advance too. Just store it in a sealed jar in the fridge and give it a good shake before using to re-emulsify.

How to Make Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad:

Step One:

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and blanch for about 30 seconds, just until they turn bright green. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Step Two:

In the same pot, cook your pasta until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Step Three:

While the pasta boils, melt the butter in a small sauté pan. Add your breadcrumbs—I like pulsing stale bread in a food processor for a slightly rustic texture. Toast until golden, then season with salt.

Step Four: Make the Dressing

Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a bit of lemon juice to loosen it up. If it’s too thin, stir in a little extra Greek yogurt or mayo.

Step Five:

Pat the blanched broccoli dry and roughly chop. Dice the avocado, slice the green onions, and chop the basil.

Step Six: Assemble

Combine the pasta, broccoli, herbs, avocado, and the dressing. Toss well to mix, then finish with the breadcrumbs and some more parmesan cheese.

Step Seven:

Finish with the breadcrumbs and some more parmesan cheese.

Substitutions for Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad:

Pasta: Radiatore is great for holding onto dressing, but any short pasta will work—try fusilli, rotini, or farfalle.

Broccoli: Leave the broccoli raw for more crunch, or sub in another blanched/steamed veggie like Brussel sprouts or peas.

Breadcrumbs: Panko is a great shortcut if you don’t have stale bread. Crushed croutons could work in a pinch too.

Dressing: The dressing is super customizable, as long as you keep the base of mayo/greek yogurt, olive oil, and lemon. Leave out any of the other ingredients if you’re not a fan.

Avocado: Leave it out if you’re prepping ahead or add just before serving. You can also swap for a handful of chopped cucumbers or chickpeas for a more meal-prep friendly version that won’t brown in the fridge.

Parmesan: Swap in pecorino if that’s what you have in the fridge.

Worcestershire sauce: Anchovy paste is a great sub if you’ve got it. For a vegetarian version, use white miso paste to add umami.

Fresh herbs: Use whatever you have on hand—basil, dill, parsley, chives, mint, or a mix. In a pinch, a sprinkle of dried Italian seasoning will still give good flavour.

How to Store Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad:

Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend keeping breadcrumbs separate and also not chopping up the avocado until you’re ready to use it.

If you’re a Caesar salad lover AND a pasta salad lover, this is going to be your new favourite recipe. Tag me on social if you try it out, @britacooks! xx