blt caesar pasta salad
Tofu bacon in strips and garden fresh ‘maters, squiggly noodles in tight coiled rings, these are a few of my favorite things.
Summer is here – at least, according to marketing, which claims that Memorial Day is the unofficial start to barbecue season. I probably bring that up every year but honestly, I’m old, and certain things sort of fly right out my memory because they’re just not that important to me.
So I’ll keep saying it: Memorial Day is passed, and now it’s time to ignite them grills and get your outdoor gatherings on. Unless you live in Florida and would rather die than step foot out the front door. Grill pan, then?
This BLT Caesar Pasta Salad is a staple in my meal prep, my summer entertaining menu, and just in my overall existence when my fridge graces tofu bacon (which is pretty much always). Light, fresh, and easy, yet a bold and beautiful piece to your menu. Homemade Caesar dressing is the name of the game, and you can adjust from tofu bacon to regular if you’re feeding a meat-eating crowd, or a bit less time to try out my famous formula.
Beggin’ For Bacon
The tofu bacon is the reason for the long prep and cook times. If you already have some around or don’t need/want to make it, you’re looking at a 25-30 minute recipe. Some kind of bacon is necessary else you’ll just have an LT salad, which kinda sounds like a model of car.
Anywho. I don’t want to bore you with a play-by-play of making tofu bacon, so you can check out the recipe card for the full instructions.
A couple small tips to help you, however, if you’re interested in giving it a go:
One…Using extra firm tofu cuts down the time needed to press the block. I usually only do 5-10 minutes while I’m putting groceries away. The longer you press it, though, the thinner and crispier your slices will be since there’ll be less moisture to bake out.
Two…Slice the strips as thin as you can. They should hold together but shouldn’t be like massive blocks. The texture will not match real bacon, but it’ll give you the crunch you might miss from the strip of pig lard.
If you’re cooking real bacon, make it as you see fit. I can’t help you there because, well, my ass doesn’t eat it. Nor does my mouth.
BLT-easer
The rest of the salad is an utter breeze.
Boil a big pot of water and cook your choice pasta until al dente, however long the package says. I love fusili corti for my pasta salads, or radiatori when I can find it. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop it from cooking further. And, you know, to cool it down.
While the noods cook, make your Caesar dressing. I will never be caught dead with store bought Caesar, and I think my recipe is up there with regards to simplicity and delicitude. I made that word up. In a food processor, whip together vegan or regular mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and fresh parmesan. Blitz until smooth and taste for additional salt, pepper, and seasonings.
Toss the pasta with about half of the dressing, crumbled tofu bacon, cherry tomatoes, croutons, and romaine lettuce. Dish up a big bowl and serve with more Caesar dressing and fresh basil, as you please!
Speaking of croutons – I like to make my own when I have some old baguettes around, but you can get storebought if you’d like. I cube up the bread, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toast for about 10-12 minutes or so at 375 degrees until golden and crispy.
This pasta salad keeps great for up to 5 days or so in the fridge. The lettuce will get a bit soft, so keep that in mind if texture in food weirds you out, but it won’t rot until much further down the road. Pro tip: add some avocado to your bowl upon serving for a bit of extra nom and healthy fats.
Fun fun for all involved. Enjoy, friends!
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!
Bacon or bust (I almost wrote butts):
Broccoli “Bacon” Caesar Pasta Salad
“Bacon” Ranch and Avocado Pasta Salad
Pesto Egg “Bacon” and Avocado Breakfast Wraps
Avocado “Bacon” Club Sandwich with Herby Sub Sauce
blt caesar pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb short cut pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8-10 strips tofu bacon (recipe below) or regular
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups croutons, homemade or store bought
- 1/2 cup Caesar dressing (recipe below)
tofu bacon
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
caesar dressing
- 3/4 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
tofu bacon
- If you're making tofu bacon, read on. If not, ignore this section and jump to the rest of the recipe...Drain and press the tofu to remove excess water for about 5-10 minutes. I make a homemade press by placing paper towels on a large plate, then the tofu, then more towels, another plate, and a skillet.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Slice the tofu very thin (as thin as you can without breaking it) and place onto the baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, chili powder, and black pepper. Pour over the tofu and, using a basting brush, coat each slice. Flip, and brush the sauce over the opposite side. Let sit while the oven heats.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking time. Let cool on the baking sheet: the tofu will continue to crisp up.
pasta salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and run cool water over the noodles to half the cooking process.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, dijon, anchovy paste, parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- In a VERY large bowl, toss the pasta with the tomatoes, crumbled tofu/regular bacon, lettuce, croutons, and 1/2 cup of the Caesar dressing. Divide into bowls and serve with more dressing and fresh herbs, as desired.
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