Description
Elevate your gatherings with Vegan Crack Pasta Salad, a creamy and satisfying dish that brings rich flavors and delightful textures to any occasion. Perfect for work lunches, picnics, potlucks, and tailgates, this vibrant salad combines pasta with nutritious peas and a delectable cashew-based dressing that’s both dairy-free and full of flavor. With just 25 minutes of prep time, you can quickly create a meal that impresses friends and family while keeping it healthy. Enjoy it as a main course or side dish—either way, it’s sure to become a favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened plain plant milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 1 teaspoon organic maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onions
- ¼ teaspoon dried ground mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons freeze dried chives
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt (+/-)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- 2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
- 10–12 oz. fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled
- ¾ cup red onion, fine dice
- Freshly chopped chives
Instructions
- Soak cashews in boiling water for 20 minutes; drain.
- In a high-speed blender, combine soaked cashews with plant milk, lemon juice, vinegar, tamari, miso, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, dried onions, mustard powder, smoked paprika, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine thawed peas, cooked fusilli pasta, diced red onion, and chopped chives; toss gently.
- Pour the dressing over the salad mix; toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: None
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No cooking involved, blending
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 470mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg