Salads · 20 min
Rotini Caesar Salad with Homemade Garlic Croutons
- 20 min
- 2–6 servings
- 691 kcal / serving
A crisp romaine salad paired with al dente rotini, tangy dressing, and homemade garlic croutons. The contrast of textures makes it suitable for a quick weeknight meal.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- 2anchovy fillets, packed in oil
- 1 clovegarlic
- ½ pintgrape tomatoes
- ½lemon
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
- 1 headromaine lettuce
- 4 ozrotini pasta
- 1 slicewhole grain bread
- lemons
From the pantry: black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, mayonnaise, salt, Worcestershire sauce
Cookware
chef's knife · citrus juicer (optional) · colander · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · grater · measuring cups · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · nonstick skillet · salad spinner (optional) · stirring spoon · whisk or fork
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More dinner ideas: easy dinners · dinners for two
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- 1 clovegarlic
- ½ pintgrape tomatoes
- ½lemon
- 1 headromaine lettuce
- lemons
Meat & seafood
- 2anchovy fillets, packed in oil
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
Bakery & bread
- 1 slicewhole grain bread
Pantry & dry goods
- 4 ozrotini pasta
5 aisles for this recipe. Plan a week in MealPot and it merges every dinner into one list in this order, scaled to your household.
Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| anchovy fillets, packed in oil | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| garlic | 1 clove | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| grape tomatoes | ½ pint | 1 pint | 1 ½ pints |
| lemon | ½ | 1 | 1 ½ |
| Parmesan cheese | 1 oz | 2 oz | 3 oz |
| romaine lettuce | 1 head | 2 heads | 3 heads |
| rotini pasta | 4 oz | 8 oz | 12 oz |
| whole grain bread | 1 slice | 2 slices | 3 slices |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini until al dente, then drain and rinse under cool water.
- Heat a skillet over medium and toast the bread cubes in oil with the listed spices until golden, then remove and set aside.
- In a large bowl, grate Parmesan and add minced garlic to mingle with the cheese.
- Add minced anchovy to the cheese and garlic, then squeeze in lemon juice and whisk in mayonnaise, oil, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to form the dressing.
- Tear or chop romaine into bite-sized pieces and add them to the dressing, tossing to coat.
- Halve the grape tomatoes and fold them into the salad bowl.
- Toss the warm croutons with the pasta and salad to combine and distribute the dressing.
- Divide the salad among bowls and serve.
Two tips
- Make croutons ahead and store in a tightly sealed container for a quick add-on later.
- If anchovies aren’t available, skip them and rely on the dressing’s lemon, Parmesan, and Worcestershire for tang; serve with extra lemon on the side.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 691 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 65 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 329 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.