feta caesar pasta salad
A final pasta salad farewell to summer?
The other day, I was forced to run outside at 11 am, and let me tell you, dudes, I’m not fucking around when I say that you should not do this if you can at all avoid it. Some people will willingly go outside later in the day for the sake of “heat training” and gaining fitness and blahblahblah. But when the real feel is 99 and the sun is blaring louder than a teenager’s angsty death metal albums, you’re better off just saving your energy and running another day, or later.
I was busy this day, knew I couldn’t go later, and was already dressed and committed to getting the workout done. I walked several times, carried water, and chatted with my mom on the phone to keep my effort level in check. I absolutely don’t recommend midday running, regardless of who you are and how fast your paces are or how well-trained you think you are. Not worth the inevitable fatigue afterwards, or heat illness during.
I know that’s not directly relevant to this recipe, but that’s what I did before I made this big colorful batch of lovely carby goodness. I needed a cool lunch to enjoy when my hunger finally returned, and a fresh pasta salad fit the bill perfectly. And because I’m a Caesar Ho, well, all the better.
This may round out our summer 2023 pasta salad repertoire, folks. A tasty and easy standby with a creamy, rich homemade Caesar that I can lick with a spoon sans any accompaniment. As a matter of fact, I did just that. This riff of Caesar is made with feta instead of the traditional parmesan, and an array of simple ingredients decorates the noodly base. We’re going for a meal in 30 minutes or less, with plenty of leftovers for workday lunches.
Light enough for a post-run nosh, filling enough for a solid dinner. Score.
Caesar Pleaser
Few steps, big yum. Just the way summer should be.
I always start by getting the pasta a-boiling, since I can pretty much ignore the water as it heats up and, aside from a couple breaks to stir the noodles, ignore the pasta while it cooks.
While the water heats up, make your dressing. I shy from oil-based Caesar and instead use a mix of vegan mayo and Greek yogurt, which also provides the creaminess an egg yolk creates in a traditional Caesar dressing.
In your trusty food processor, combine the mayo and yogurt with dijon, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, and a good handful of feta cheese. The feta adds a unique brininess to the dressing, and it’s feta, so can’t go wrong. Whip it up until very smooth, and taste for salt and pepper as needed.
By now, your pasta water is probably boiling, so chuck the noods in and let em go. Here you can sweep your floor, dust your ceiling fans, eat a cookie, whatever you fancy. When they’re done, drain them out and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and mellow out the heat so the dressing doesn’t just disappear into the pasta.
Long Toss
Put your salad together at this point. See, nothing hard here!
To my salad, I like cherry tomatoes, romaine, extra feta, and avocado. You can easily add some croutons, too, if you’d like, but I’m fine without them since the dressing is really the main kicker for me. Toss those beauties with the noodles and most of the Caesar dressing – save the rest for serving.
Either pop your salad in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to divvy it up, or plate it at room temperature. It’s pretty great both ways.
Spoon some extra Caesar over your bowl, top with fresh herbs, and enjoy! I tend to meal prep a lot of the leftovers, sometimes with tuna or veggie chicken nuggets (into those right now). Enjoy it any which way you please.
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!
Say “so long summer” with a pasta salad sacrifice:
“Bacon” Ranch and Avocado Pasta Salad
Lemon Chickpea, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
feta caesar pasta salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (or regular)
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (divided)
- 1 lb short cut pasta
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 large avocados, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- fresh herbs, to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain in a colander and immediately run under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, dijon, anchovy paste, 1/3 cup of feta, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Dump the pasta into a large bowl. Add the lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, the remaining feta, and about 2/3 of the dressing. Toss until thoroughly combined.
- Divide into bowls and serve with fresh herbs and the remaining dressing on the side.
