My Easy Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe has all the creamy goodness of a classic Caesar salad but is so much more exciting with the addition of pasta and grilled shrimp! This Caesar pasta salad will fill you up and keep you feeling good!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Garofalo®.The opinions and text are all mine.
How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing
When it comes to the deliciousness of a salad, it’s all about the dressing. And trust me when I tell you no bottled dressing will ever be as good as homemade!
Making homemade Caesar salad dressing from scratch was one of the first recipes that I taught myself when Ray and I moved into our home (nearly 20 years ago). Caesar salads were one of my favorites and I was eager to enjoy their classic flavor at home.
Over time I’ve evolved my original recipe to be one that I can whip up in minutes without minimal effort but still achieving maximum Caesar salad flavor. And I gotta admit, it’s seriously even more delicious than the old fashioned, made from scratch version!
My secret is instead of using raw eggs and emulsifying them with oil, skip straight to using your favorite mayonnaise!
Simply blending mayonnaise with anchovies, fresh lemon juice and garlic gives you all that Caesar flavor without any of the work. Season with sea salt and black pepper and thin with water, if you want.
Yes, before you ask, if you want that authentic Caesar flavor you HAVE to use anchovies. Both anchovies in oil and anchovy paste can be used. I know many of you may “think” you hate anchovies but if you love Caesar, they are essential for the flavor you crave.
Now that you have your dressing made, let it rest in the fridge for about an hour for the flavors to combine.
What is the Best Penne Pasta?
While your dressing is chilling in the fridge, get the rest of your Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad ingredients prepared.
First thing you’ll want to make is your penne pasta. My favorite pasta for this dish is Garofalo®Penne Pasta, which I picked up at our local Weis store!
Head to your local Weis to save on Garofalo Pasta before you make this dish! Now until 8/31/19 you can save $1.00 on any one Garofalo Pasta at Weis!
Garofalo is the oldest and longest operating pastificio in Gragnano, Italy (since 1789), which is known as the birth place of pasta! And they are IGP certified (Identificazione Geografica Proetta) which can only be carried by pastificio in Gragnano, Italy who meet strict production requirements to preserve the identity of the region’s pasta production.
In addition to being IGP certified, Garofalo is also one of few Italian import pastas which is certified Non-GMO; not a claim many Italian pastas can make!
Like with all pasta, you want to loosely set a timer for cooking but rely on your taste instead. Follow the instructions on the package and remember to taste! Then give it a rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
How to Make Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad
Gather all your ingredients and let’s get this delicious Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad party started!
Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Caesar Dressing
- Garofalo Penne Pasta
- Romaine Lettuce
- Shrimp
- Parmesan Cheese
You can use pre-cooked shrimp, but I prefer to give mine a quick grill. Toss raw shrimp (peeled) with some avocado oil, sea salt and pepper. Give them a quick grill. You can use big or small shrimp. Since they are being mixed into a salad, I prefer to use budget-friendly small shrimp. You’ll want 4-6 ounces of shrimp per person.
Then chop romaine lettuce (I suggest 1 head per person) and shred some Parmesan cheese.
Then generously drizzle on the dressing!
One of the best things about this Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe is that it holds up so well. You can take it to a pot luck dinner or BBQ. Take it combined all together, then just drizzle the dressing on before serving. And even still, it won’t get soggy quickly since the romaine lettuce is durable and the penne will absorb the dressing.
I’m not drooling, you are drooling!
See how perfect those Garofalo Penne Pasta noodles look? They’re such a great addition to this salad!
My Easy Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal but tastes impressive enough to serve to guests. It’s a meal on its own or a delicious first course.
My Easy Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal but tastes impressive enough to serve to guests. It’s a meal on it’s own or a delicious first course.
Yours in Health,
Ingredients
- 2-3 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 12 ounces Raw Wild Caught Shrimp peeled, deveined
- 1.5 cups Garofalo Penne Pasta
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 medium anchovies
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sea Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients and blend until smooth, chill for 1 hour prior to serving.
- Prepare penne pasta according to package directions, taste to determine doneness, in my kitchen it took 12 mintues. Rinse with cool water. Can be made up to 1 day ahead of time.
- Lightly toss shrimp with avocado oil, sea salt and pepper. Grill or pan saute until opague and cooked though. Shrimp can be added to the salad chilled or still warm.
- Assemble salads with chopped romaine lettuce, cooked penne pasta, cooked shrimp and grated parmsan cheese. Toss with homeade caesar dressing. Enjoy!
