Name: The 20-Minute Caesar Pasta Salad I’ve Made Too Many Times To Count
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (16-ounce) box rotini or spiral pasta; 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces; 3 cups (8 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces; 1 bunch lacinato kale; 1 lemon, juiced, plus more for serving if desired; 1 to 1 1/2 cups store-bought Caesar salad dressing; 1 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving; Salt and black pepper, to taste

Ingredients

8 serv.

1 (16-ounce) box rotini or spiral pasta
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
3 cups (8 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch lacinato kale
1 lemon, juiced, plus more for serving if desired
1 to 1 1/2 cups store-bought Caesar salad dressing
1 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

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1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions for al dente. About 1 minute before draining the pasta, add the asparagus and snap peas to the boiling water to barely soften. Drain the pasta and vegetables and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
2 Remove the tough center ribs from the lacinato kale by holding the stem with one hand and stripping the leaves off with the other, or slice along each side of the rib with a knife. Discard the stems, then stack the leaves, roll them tightly, and thinly slice into ribbons. Add the kale to a large bowl along with the lemon juice, and massage with your hands until the leaves darken and soften slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
3 To the bowl with the kale, add the pasta, asparagus, and peas and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the dressing and the parmesan cheese and toss again until well coated. Add the remaining 1/2 cup dressing, if desired, and season with salt, pepper, more lemon juice, and more parmesan cheese, if needed. Refrigerate the pasta salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This recipe benefits from resting in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, but can also be served right away. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!