Cilantro Caesar Pasta Salad Recipes

CAESAR'S PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a small rimmed baking sheet, toss the cubed bread with the olive oil, Parmesan and salt. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes.
• For the dressing: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the Parmesan, buttermilk, yogurt, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Set aside to let the flavors marry for 5 minutes.
• For the salad: Remove the cloves of garlic from the dressing and discard. To the bowl of dressing, add the lettuce, corn, pasta and croutons. Toss well to coat.

CAESAR PASTA SALAD WITH AVOCADO

Steps:

• Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Rinse in cold water and set aside to drain.
• Rinse, chop and spin the romaine lettuce dry using a salad spinner. If you don't have a salad spinner, pat dry with a clean towel. The dressing will coat the salad much better if the lettuce isn't wet. Transfer lettuce to a large mixing bowl. Toss in the pasta, diced avocado, and halved tomatoes.
• Add the Caesar Dressing to really boost the flavor of this salad. Toss to evenly coat the lettuce. Add the dressing to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan and croutons.

CILANTRO PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cilantro pesto: Add the cilantro, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are roughly chopped, 4 to 5 times. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil through the lid opening. Process to desired consistency; you can make the sauce completely smooth or leave it fairly chunky.
• For the roasted tomatoes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the tomatoes and shallot. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down and brown slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• For the salad: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, tomatoes and pesto and toss. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and a few cilantro leaves and serve.

CILANTRO CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor blend Caesar Dressing, rinsed cilantro (stems and all!), chili sauce and the lime juice. Blend for 2 minutes or until completely blended and green. If you can, let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours or more so the flavors come out.
• Chop the romaine into bite-size pieces and put into a large bowl. Throw in thawed corn, red onion and rinsed beans. Crunch up the chips so they are in smaller pieces, but don't add the chips to the salad until you are right about to serve it.
• Once you are about to serve it add the dressing and the chips and toss together.

CUCUMBER CILANTRO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta, drain.
• Combine lime juice, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta and vegetables.
• Toss gently with lime dressing.