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.
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.