Description
Summer’s favorite pasta salad brings Italian coastal charm to your table. Succulent shrimp and crisp romaine tangle with creamy caesar dressing, creating a refreshing Mediterranean-inspired dish perfect for picnics and light dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Seafood:
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) cooked, peeled shrimp
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) small dried pasta (e.g., Lumachine)
Cheese and Proteins:
- 125 grams (4.4 ounces) mozzarella, diced
- 35 grams (1.2 ounces) grated Parmesan
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon chopped frozen parsley
Dressing Ingredients:
- 40 grams (1.4 ounces) lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 anchovy fillets in oil
- 20 grams (0.7 ounces) mustard
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 30 grams (1 ounce) olive oil
- 110 grams (3.9 ounces) light cream (4% fat)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in generously salted water until it reaches al dente texture, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to halt cooking and preserve its firm consistency. Drain thoroughly and place in a spacious mixing vessel.
- Create the Caesar dressing by blending lemon juice, roasted garlic, anchovy paste, hardboiled egg, premium Parmesan, Dijon mustard, cracked pepper, sea salt, and heavy cream until achieving a silky, uniform texture.
- Prepare vegetable components by finely dicing yellow bell pepper, thinly slicing red onion, halving cherry tomatoes, and chopping fresh parsley with precision.
- Cube mozzarella into small, uniform pieces and slice most of the cooked shrimp, reserving several whole pieces for elegant presentation.
- Combine pasta with diced vegetables, mozzarella cubes, chopped parsley, and sliced shrimp in the mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Drizzle the handcrafted Caesar dressing over the salad, gently folding to coat each ingredient without crushing delicate components.
- Strategically arrange whole shrimp on top of the salad for visual appeal and added texture.
- Refrigerate the assembled salad for 60-90 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and develop a harmonious taste profile.
- Before serving, give the salad a final gentle toss to redistribute the dressing and ensure optimal flavor integration.
Notes
- Chilling the salad lets flavors mingle and intensify, creating a more complex taste profile.
- Garnishing with reserved shrimp adds a professional touch and visual appeal to the dish.
- Blending fresh ingredients ensures a vibrant, zesty Caesar dressing that elevates the entire pasta salad experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg