Creamy vegan Italian pasta salad is the perfect summer salad, brimming with fresh veggies, olives, artichoke hearts, pasta of your choice, and easy, zesty Italian salad dressing for a crowd-pleasing easy side dish that's certain to be a hit.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔ The sweet, tangy flavor of the homemade Italian dressing is easy to make and versatile.
✔ Make ahead and serve this as a cold pasta salad.
✔ The perfect side dish for picnics, potlucks, or summertime barbeques.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Cashews. Use raw cashews (the white ones). Roasted or salted cashews distort the flavor. Blanched almonds work best as an alternative. Or try ground sunflower seeds.
White balsamic vinegar. Slightly sweet with a low acidity level than other types of vinegar, white balsamic is unique. Rice wine vinegar with ½ a teaspoon of maple syrup is the best substitute.
Mustard powder. Adds mellow, 'cheesy' flavor. If you like more mustard flavor, add a little Dijon mustard.
Cayenne pepper. Just a pinch! I used ¼ of a teaspoon of cayenne.
Italian seasoning. Multiple spice blend usually includes a combination of oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage.
Artichoke hearts. The buttery flavor of artichokes makes this salad creamier and richer without adding oil. If you use frozen, thaw them and press out the excess moisture.
Red onion. To mellow the sharpness of the taste, soak the diced pieces in cold water for a few minutes, then drain and rinse them.
Red bell peppers. I prefer red peppers, but other varieties can be used. Green bell pepper is a little bitter. Orange is sweeter.
Black olives. Sliced black olives are optional, but add bites of salty richness. Not a fan of black olives? Kalamata olives or green olives are tasty alternatives.
Cherry tomatoes. Diced fresh tomatoes might get mushy, so stick with either cherry tomatoes or tiny whole grape tomatoes.
Fresh basil. Fresh parsley can be used in conjunction, but basil is highly recommended. If you want to experiment with fresh herbs, dill or a few chopped rosemary leaves complement the flavor.
Pasta. Bite-sized shaped rotini pasta or tri-colored fusilli works great here, but small penne pasta or macaroni can be used. Dry pasta is sturdier than fresh pasta, so I prefer it for pasta salad. You can also make it with gluten-free pasta.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
Sun-dried tomatoes are one of my favorite additions. If they are dehydrated, soak them and then dice them. Oil-free oven-dried tomatoes will be soft enough to chop without soaking.
Vegan sour cream or sunflower seeds sour cream can be switched out for the cashews. You may want an extra dash of white balsamic and adjust the lemon juice if the sour cream is made with apple cider vinegar.
I've also added vegan parmesan cheese to this salad and highly recommend it.
No pasta? You can transform pasta into potato salad using cooked, diced potatoes.
Add white beans or chickpeas for a main dish with extra protein and satisfaction.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. Start the pasta and veggie prep.
Step 2: Blend the cashews, vinegar, mustard powder, lemon juice, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper with ¼ cup of water. Add more water as needed to thin out the dressing.
Step 3: Transfer the dressing to a small bowl. Stir in the Italian seasoning and black pepper.
Step 4: Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water, then transfer it to a large bowl. Mix in half the dressing, then add the vegetables and mix in the rest of the dressing and basil.
Pro Tips
I find, with cashew dressings and pasta, that the dressing should be on the thinner side. Thick dressings can cease after sitting.
Be careful not to overcook the pasta. You want al dente or toothsome, meaning that you bite into it – the pasta doesn’t just mush into your teeth. What’s the best way to know if cooked pasta is done? Taste it!
Want to save this recipe? 🥣
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes and satisfy your cravings.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at room temperature or tuck it in the fridge for a cold pasta salad. It's great with homemade veggie burgers or as the star of the picnic table. Side it with spicy fun foods like Buffalo tofu, spicy cauliflower wings, or a main dish of vegan stuffed bell peppers or vegan twice-baked potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The next day you serve it, add a little lemon juice or vinegar to spruce it up.
Cashew dressing is gritty because the cashews have not sufficiently broken down. First, soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 15 minutes to avoid this. You can also soak them overnight. Second, be sure you add enough liquid. Finally, scrape the sides of the blender and clear the bottom so there is a flow of ingredients.
Unpeeled cucumbers are perfectly edible and give you more nutrients and fiber than unpeeled ones. Unpeeled cucumbers will hold up better in pasta salad, especially if you have removed the seeds. That said, the peelings can cause indigestion for some people, so you can always remove the peeling.
If you are making pasta salad, you should always rinse the pasta. Rinsing separates the pasta so it won't clump together. If you are making a warm pasta dish, then never rinse the cooked pasta. The starch helps the sauce adhere to the pasta. You can even use cooked pasta water to make pesto pasta creamier.
More Vegan Summer Salads
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Italian Pasta Salad
Rate this Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ - ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 14 ounces dry pasta - I used 4 cups tri-colored fusilli
- 1 ½ cups artichoke hearts - 1 - 12 ounce can, drained and diced
- 1 medium red onion - chopped small (about 1 cup)
- 1 small cucumber - sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper - cored and diced
- ⅓ cup black olives - sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes - cut in half
- ½ cup basil leaves - torn or chopped
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of raw cashews to a bowl and cover them with boiing .water Set them aside for 15 minutes.
- Start the water for the pasta and prep the other ingredients. When you're ready, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Dain and rinse the cashews. Add them to a blender with white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard powder, cayenne pepper and ¼ cup of water. Blend the ingredients for a few minutes, then begin adding water a few tablespoons at a time. The consistency should be pourable.
- Transfer the dressing to a small bowl and stir in the Italian seasoning and black pepper.
- When the pasta is done, drain it, then rinse it in cold water. Add it to a large salad bowl.
- Stir in half the dressing with the pasta, then mix in the rest of the ingredients and remaining dressing. Reserve some of the basil for a garnish is desired.
- Serve the salad immediately or allow it to rest until you are ready to dish it up.
Notes
- Store the salad in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Stir in a little lemon juice or vinegar to spruce it up.
- To ensure the cashew dressing is not gritty, soak the cashews first. You can also soak them overnight (do the same for blanched almonds if you use those). If the dressing is gritty, add more water and keep blending and scrape the sides of the blender.
- Sunflower seeds are another option for the cashews. I recommend grinding rather than soaking them for the best results.
- Be sure to rinse the pasta in cold water to keep the pasta from clumping up when mixed with the dressing and vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Want to save this recipe? 🥣
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes and satisfy your cravings.
Laura
A bit tart. I will make again but will test as I add the lemon. I added mushrooms..Husband like well enough to eat several portions.
Denise
My husband had the same reaction - several portions :). Glad you enjoyed it and adding mushrooms was not something I thought of. Excellent!
Laura Wiggs
I believe I will add white beans next time to increase protein in the salad. Or serve with butter beans or something similar...
Denise
Beans would be a great addition. White beans are a good choice, maybe even white kidney beans.