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Gresk pastasalat med kikerter.
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5 from 8 votes

Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

We are obsessed with this creamy vegan pasta salad. The creamy pesto is made with blended cashews and then tossed with pasta and crunchy vegetables.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: vegan pasta salad
Servings: 10
Author: Lee Funke

Ingredients

Cashew Pesto

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked*
  • 4 cloves garlic raw or roasted**
  • 2 cups basil packed
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tablespoons water or more, depending on how juicy your lemon was
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Pasta Salad

  • 16 oz. rotini or any kind of pasta
  • 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 large cucumber chopped
  • 15 oz. can garbanzo beans rinsed
  • 3/4 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
  • 1/2 large red onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until al dente.
  • While pasta is boiling, place all of the ingredients for the cashew pesto into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Depending on how juicy your lemon was, you may need to add more water. The consistency should be thick and creamy. Set aside for later!
  • Once pasta is al dente, remove from stove and strain in the sink. Run pasta under cold water and set aside.
  • Last, prep the vegetables for the pasta salad. Half the cherry tomatoes, rinse and strain garbanzo beans, half the kalamata olives, chop the cucumber, and thinly slice red the onion. Place veggies into a large bowl and add pasta. Mix until combined.
    A person holding a bowl of Greek pasta salad.
  • Finally, add in cashew pesto and mix until everything is generously coated.
    Greek pasta salad with chickpeas and lemon.
  • Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour and then enjoy!
    A Greek pasta salad with chickpeas and lemon wedges.

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="zvVRCwhX" upload-date="2018-05-24T18:51:21.000Z" name=" Creamy Greek Pasta Salad with Cashew Vegan Pesto" description="Are you ready for a mouthwatering vegan pasta salad recipe? This Creamy Greek Pasta Salad with Cashew Vegan Pesto packs in all the Greek flavor with a homemade cashew pesto sauce and is made with fresh, seasonal produce and your favorite pasta noodle."]

Notes

  • Soak your cashews in water for 8 hours or overnight. This will soften them a bit and allow them to be blended into pesto.
  • Option to use raw or roasted garlic. We tried both ways and really enjoyed the roasted variation.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g