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–+ servings
A bowl filled with creamy Italian pasta salad.
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4.50 from 2 votes

Creamy Vegan Italian Pasta Salad

Creamy vegan Italian pasta salad is the best summer salad, brimming with fresh veggies, olives, artichokes, and easy, zesty Italian dressing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 8
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Denise Perrault

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
US Customary - Metric

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

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 801IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg