bbq shrimp caesar pasta salad
Yell at me all you want about my pasta salad proclivities.
We haven’t yet reached the pinnacle of hot weather deathtrap here in good ole Florida, but the air is unmistakably warmer every day. Thus meaning my lessened propensity to turning on the oven for a long period and suffering a double whammy of heat stroke.
Pasta salads, while requiring some cooking, are a common craving this time of year. No fail, I end up with a bigass batch that lasts the whole week, which is helpful when my lazyass decides it doesn’t want to fuss with thinking about the next lunch or dinner. Since last summer I’ve come up with a shitton of pasta salad combinations, and honestly? I don’t plan to stop. And FMG is a space where I share cravings without really worrying if they’re highly repetitive or not.
Because, let’s be real, some of us can’t afford to eat a totally different food combination every day. Being nifty and thrifty helps lessen food waste and keep the budget in check.
Let me introduce you to this luscious BBQ Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad. So many flavors here, from tangy and sweet barbecue-seasoned roast shrimp, creamy homemade Caesar dressing (my well-established favorite), hunks of cheddar cheese, and, of course, pasta and veggies. All under 45 minutes, makes a fuckton, enjoy room temp or cold.
Good. Shit. Yo.
Put This In Your Barbe-queue
Yoink.
At first glance, it may seem like there’s a lot of moving parts to this recipe. I suppose there is. But, particularly if you’re a good multitasker, nothing is difficult and one thing can be prepped while another thing is boiling or roasting away without your eyes needing to be glued to the stove/oven. 45 minutes for someone a bit more deliberate, 35 for a quicker mover.
First, the shrimps. I choose the big fat ones. Make sure they’re peeled, deveined, and thawed, then dry off meticulously with paper towels.
Plop them in a bowl and toss with a homemade bbq seasoning blend: brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder (use regular chili powder for a bit less heat), garlic and onion powders, black pepper, and salt.
Spread the shrimp onto a large baking sheet. Roast 8-10 minutes, turning once halfway through baking time. I like to broil the shrimp the last 1-2 minutes for a bit of a crisp. Pull the pan from the oven and brush the dudes with whatever your favorite bbq sauce brand is. This step isn’t necessary, but I love a double whammy of bbq taste, and I had a small amount of sauce left in my fridge that I wanted to use anyway.
While the shrimp roasts up, boil off your pasta. Any short cut will do. Choose your favorite squiggly wiggly and cook as the box directs. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop from overcooking. Tough cookies = good. Tough pasta = not good.
Caesar, Please
Next up, make your Caesar dressing. I use my food processor to get it extra smooth. A high speed blender works fine too.
To make, whiz together vegan or regular mayonnaise, plain whole milk Greek yogurt, parmesan (I sometimes use feta instead if I have it around), garlic cloves, lemon juice, dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavorings as needed.
And now, to put all that goodness together.
Snag your biggest bowl – or, as I always do, my enameled Dutch oven. Combine the pasta with chopped romaine, cheddar cheese chunks, avocado, and cherry tomatoes, as well as a good glob of the dressing. Enough of the Caesar to make the salad nice and creamy, but you should have some left for serving alongside your individual portions.
Dish out the salads, with the shrimps separate and the jar of Caesar salad so you and your people can help yourselves to extra. I also recommend storing leftovers this way, and adding shrimp to each portion as you serve it up. This baby will keep long enough to use for workday meal preps. Huzzah!
Bonus tip: if you have leftover components, why not make a regular Caesar salad and nosh on it with some mozzarella sticks? Definitely did that today. Worth it.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Like pasta salad as much as me? Sweet. Here’s more:
Pesto Tomato Avocado Caesar Pasta Salad
Buffalo White Bean Pasta Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch
“Bacon” Ranch and Avocado Pasta Salad
Lemon Chickpea, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
bbq shrimp caesar pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp (13-15ct/lb)
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup bbq sauce, your favorite (optional)
- 1 lb short-cut pasta
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1-2 avocados, chopped
caesar dressing
- 3/4 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain wole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- Make sure your shrimps are thawed, peeled, and deveined. I prefer tail off for this recipe. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and add to a bowl. Toss with the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and a big pinch of salt, until evenly coated.
- Spread the shrimp onto the baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, turning once halfway through baking time. If desired, broil on high for the final 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven. If desired, brush with bbq sauce.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until very smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Dump the pasta into a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped romaine, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and avocado. Toss with 1/3-1/2 cup of the Caesar dressing.
- Divide salads amongst bowls or plates. Top with the shrimp. Serve alongside additional Caesar dressing, as desired.
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