Kale Caesar pasta salad
Or: How to take a great thing (kale Caesar) and make it even better (add pasta).
Cooking
August 7, 2025

Good morning! Today we have for you:

Dan Pelosi’s kale Caesar pasta salad. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews

Hail kale Caesar pasta salad

By Mia Leimkuhler

I’m a good eater, as you might expect. But I do have my eating quirks and preferences. I don’t like raw celery unless it’s chopped into small pieces (it’s the strings). I like bananas best when they’re still green. And I like a kale Caesar more than a romaine Caesar.

Sturdy, assertive Caesar salad dressing, I think, deserves an equally sturdy, assertive canvas. I do enjoy the refreshing crispness of romaine, but I really love how kale, especially when massaged with the dressing, softens into and absorbs those umami flavors. Dan Pelosi must also understand this, because he’s made us a kale Caesar pasta salad.

His dressing is an easy-to-pull-together mix of mayonnaise, Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, mustard and lemon; if you can’t find baby kale, simply slice the Tuscan kind into ribbons. Panko (or homemade bread crumbs) adds crunch, and — unlike with a romaine Caesar — leftovers are happy to hang out in the fridge for several days.

Reviews are already trickling in, and they’re glowing (and helpful!): “Dan’s recipes are always delicious and this is no exception!” writes Nicole, a reader. “Do not skip the breadcrumbs as they add great flavor. My only regret is not using a bigger bowl because I couldn’t fit as much kale as I wanted. Use a really big bowl!”

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Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

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And before you go

Maybe you, like me, don’t live in New York City. Maybe you do, but you don’t want to wait in line to try Golden Diner’s plush, beloved pancakes. Or maybe, regardless of residence, you’ve had the Golden Diner pancakes and want to eat them again and again. We’re all in luck, because Genevieve Ko has adapted the chef Sam Yoo’s recipe for those glorious golden beauties. Click here or on the image below to watch them being made:

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Good morning, indeed. Carolina Gelen and Natasha Janardan/The New York Times
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