Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad

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!

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad

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!

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad

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.

While your dressing is chilling in the fridge, get the rest of your Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad ingredients prepared.

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
  • Penne Pasta
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Shrimp
  • Parmesan Cheese
Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad

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.

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

Then generously drizzle on the dressing!

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

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.

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

I’m not drooling, you are drooling!

See how perfect those 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.

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad

Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

My 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!
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Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

For the Caesar Dressing

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!

Notes

This recipes makes a generous portion of dressing for each serving, adjust to suit your taste. 

Nutrition

Calories: 799kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 325mg | Sodium: 1778mg | Potassium: 1727mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 54674IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 535mg | Iron: 10mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @hayley_inthekitchen or tag #hayley_inthekitchen!

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