Vegan Creamy Pesto Pasta

There's something magical about opening your fridge on a warm afternoon and realizing you have exactly what you need for lunch without a trip to the store. That's when this creamy pesto chickpea pasta salad became my go-to move—a dish that somehow tastes fancy enough for guests but simple enough to throw together while still in my cooking clothes. The first time I made it, I'd soaked cashews thinking I was overcomplicating things, but that creamy sauce changed everything. Now I keep a batch of this pesto in my fridge like it's liquid gold, and I've learned that arugula's peppery bite is the secret reason people keep coming back for more.

I made this for my sister's picnic last July, and watching everyone go back for thirds told me everything I needed to know. The pasta salad sat in a cooler for hours and somehow tasted even better by dinnertime, the flavors settling into each other like they were old friends reuniting. Someone asked if I'd added cream, and when I said it was just cashews and plant milk, the look of surprise on their face made the whole thing worth it.

Ingredients

• Short pasta (300 g): Fusilli or penne work best because they catch the pesto and hold onto it, but honestly, whatever's in your cupboard will work fine—gluten-free versions are seamless here.
• Fresh basil leaves (50 g): Use the good stuff if you can, the kind with tender leaves that smell impossibly green; frozen basil loses that fresh punch that makes this salad sing.
• Raw cashews (60 g, soaked): This is non-negotiable—soaking them transforms them from hard little bullets into something silky that blends into cream without any grit or strain.
• Nutritional yeast (2 tbsp): This ingredient seems mysterious until you taste it, then you'll understand why it brings that subtle cheesy depth without any dairy involved.
• Garlic (2 cloves): Fresh and raw is key here; it wakes up the entire sauce and keeps it from tasting one-dimensional.
• Lemon juice (2 tbsp): Squeeze it fresh if you're not in a rush—bottled works but fresh is noticeably brighter and prevents the pesto from turning muddy-looking.
• Extra virgin olive oil (60 ml): Don't skimp on quality here; this is where the silky mouthfeel comes from, so spend a little more if you can.
• Plant-based milk (60 ml): Almond, soy, or oat all work, but unsweetened is crucial or you'll end up with a sauce that tastes confused.
• Salt and pepper: Standard seasoning, but taste as you go because the nutritional yeast already brings saltiness that sneaks up on you.
• Chickpeas (1 can, 400 g): Drain and rinse them well to remove the starchy liquid, which makes a real difference in how the salad comes together.
• Fresh arugula (75 g): This peppery green is what keeps the salad from feeling heavy; without it, you'd just have a rich pasta dish, but with it, you have something alive.
• Cherry tomatoes (100 g): Halve them just before you eat so they stay juicy and don't get watery sitting in the dressing.
• Red onion (1/2 small): Slice it thin as paper so it wilts slightly into the salad without overpowering everything with that harsh raw bite.
• Cucumber (1 small): Dice it small so every forkful has a little cool, crisp moment of relief between the creamy pasta and tangy pesto.

Instructions

Get your pasta going:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil—it should taste like the sea, not like you're being punished. Stir in your pasta and cook until it's tender but still has a slight resistance when you bite it, usually a minute or two under the package time, then drain and run it under cold water until it's completely cool to the touch.

Build your pesto while waiting:

While that pasta bubbles away, get your blender or food processor ready with the basil, drained cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, plant milk, salt, and pepper. Blend on high until it's completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times so nothing hides from the blades.

Assemble the salad base:

Throw your cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl along with the drained chickpeas, fresh arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and diced cucumber. This is the moment where everything looks deceptively simple, just ingredients waiting to become something better.

Dress and toss with intention:

Pour that creamy pesto over everything and toss like you mean it, making sure the dressing gets into every corner of the bowl and coats every piece of pasta. Taste it right then and adjust with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if something feels like it's missing.

Chill or serve:

You can eat this immediately while it's still cool from the pasta water, or chill it for thirty minutes to let the flavors get to know each other better. Either way, it's ready to become your favorite lunch.

Save

This salad became my quiet victory last winter when I brought it to a potluck at work where everyone was eating the same tired things. Watching someone who claimed they'd never eat vegan food ask for the recipe while going back for seconds felt like a tiny revolution happening at a folding table with bad lighting.

The Cashew Cream Breakthrough

I spent years making pesto the traditional way until a friend mentioned soaking cashews, and it felt like someone had handed me a cheat code. The difference between cashew-based pesto and the usual olive oil and nut version is that silky, almost creamy texture that makes you forget you're eating vegetables. Now when people taste it and ask what's in the sauce, I watch them do a mental double-take when I mention cashews and plant milk—it's the kind of simple magic that makes cooking fun again.

Making It Your Own

The beauty of this salad is that it's a starting point, not a final word, so don't be afraid to wander from the recipe if your fridge is telling you something different. I've added roasted red peppers when I had them, thrown in some sliced olives on days when I wanted more salt, and even tossed in some cooked beets for color and earthiness. The chickpeas keep it feeling substantial and the pesto holds everything together, so really, you're free to edit based on what's speaking to you.

Storage and Timing

This is the kind of salad that improves with a little time, but also the kind that can't wait forever or the arugula will surrender. Make it for the same day or the next, keep it in an airtight container in the coldest part of your fridge, and don't add the greens until you're ready to eat it unless you want a wilted situation on your hands.

• Fresh arugula goes in at the last possible moment so it stays bright and peppery instead of sad and brown.
• If you're meal prepping, keep the pesto and vegetables separate until you're actually eating, then combine and toss with energy.
• Leftovers are better than you'd expect for up to two days, though the pasta gets softer and the flavors get more blended, which some people actually prefer.

Save

This salad has become one of those recipes I make without thinking, the way some people make scrambled eggs, and I think that's how you know something's truly become part of your cooking life. It's proof that vegan food doesn't have to be complicated or feel like you're missing something—sometimes it's just really, really good.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make the pesto nut-free?

Yes, substitute cashews with sunflower seeds or silken tofu for a creamy, nut-free pesto variation.

→ What pasta works best for this salad?

Short pasta shapes like fusilli or penne hold the creamy pesto well and provide great texture.

→ How should I store leftovers?

Keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days to preserve freshness.

→ Can I prepare this in advance?

Yes, chilling the salad for 30 minutes before serving enhances flavors and texture.

→ Is this suitable for gluten-free diets?

Use gluten-free pasta to make the dish gluten-friendly without compromising taste.