Description
A creamy and flavorful vegan pasta salad featuring a cashew-based dressing infused with miso, nutritional yeast, and a blend of spices. This vibrant salad combines tender fusilli pasta, sweet peas, and red onions, perfect for a refreshing plant-based meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened plain plant milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 1 teaspoon organic maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
Dressing Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onions
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons freeze dried chives
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
- 12 oz. fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled
- 3/4 cup red onion, fine diced
Optional Toppings:
- Freshly chopped chives
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water, soak for 20 minutes, then drain off the water. Transfer the soaked cashews to a high-speed blender.
- Prepare Dressing: Add all remaining dressing ingredients and spice/herb ingredients into the high-speed blender with the cashews. Process until smooth and emulsified. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
- Toss Salad Ingredients: Place the cooked and cooled fusilli pasta, thawed baby peas, and finely diced red onion into a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
- Add Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to coat everything thoroughly with the dressing.
- Chill: Refrigerate the salad for 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and chill thoroughly.
- Serve: Optionally, garnish with freshly chopped chives before serving for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use 12 oz. of pasta for a lightly creamy salad or 10 oz. for a very creamy texture, as the dressing amount is calibrated for these quantities.
- If using fresh chives, add them with the salad ingredients rather than blending to avoid a muddy dressing color.
- Cashew cream dressings may thicken when refrigerated; if too thick, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and stir, or add a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to loosen.
- Scrape the blender well to get every bit of dressing out.
- Use frozen baby sweet peas thawed at room temperature or lightly defrosted without cooking; avoid canned peas as they are too soft.
- Cashew substitutes include sunflower seeds, silken tofu, or white beans but may alter flavor and texture.
- Frozen baby sweet peas can be substituted with tiny blanched broccoli florets if desired.
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed but be mindful that GF pasta can firm up when refrigerated; serving at room temperature is recommended.
- Recommended brands include Miso Master Organic Mellow White Premium Lite Miso, San J Tamari Reduced Sodium, and Penzeys Freeze-Dried Chives.
- Store refrigerated and use within 5 days.
- Serves 4 to 6 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
