hot bacon BLT caprese pasta salad
Oh man, the DRESSING.
Ingredients
- 1 lb short-cut pasta
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/3 cup hot bacon dressing (recipe below)
hot bacon dressing
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 strips tofu or regular bacon, crumbled (see note)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp hot honey (see note)
Instructions
- In a small skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. Stir in the bacon and garlic for 1 minute, then add the apple cider vinegar, dijon, hot honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer 2-3 minutes until combined. Remove from heat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, running the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl along with the tomatoes, mozzarella balls, romaine, and basil, then pour in 1/3 cup of the hot bacon dressing. Toss to combine.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle on more dressing and more crumbled tofu bacon, as desired. YUMBO.
Notes
*Hot honey: To make the hot honey: combine 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powders, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes in a microwave-safe jar or glass. Heat 1 minute on high. Stir, then zap an additional 20-30 seconds until the granules dissolve. Leftover hot honey will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
*Tofu bacon:
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Drain and press a block of extra firm 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.
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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.
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In a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/4 tsp 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.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking time. Let cool on the baking sheet: the tofu will continue to crisp up.