Vegan Creamy Pesto Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant pasta salad with creamy basil pesto, chickpeas, arugula, and fresh vegetables, perfect for a light lunch or side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta such as fusilli or penne

→ Creamy Vegan Pesto

02 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves
03 - 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 1 hour and drained
04 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
07 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Salad

11 - 1 can chickpeas, 14 oz, drained and rinsed
12 - 3 cups fresh arugula
13 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
15 - 1 small cucumber, diced

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold water until cooled completely.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, plant-based milk, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, drained chickpeas, arugula, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and diced cucumber.
04 - Pour the creamy pesto over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal freshness, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up, thanks to the chickpeas and whole grain pasta doing the heavy lifting.
  • That creamy pesto tastes indulgent but contains zero dairy, so you can feel genuinely good about what you're eating.
  • It travels beautifully in containers, meaning meal prep suddenly becomes something you actually want to do.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking your cashews or you'll end up with a grainy pesto that feels gritty on your tongue instead of silky—set a phone reminder if you need to.
  • The arugula must stay fresh and crisp, so add it at the very last moment or it wilts into sadness, losing that peppery bite that makes the whole dish work.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half in ice cube trays so you have little pockets of creamy goodness ready for future salads, grain bowls, or even spreading on toast.
  • If tree nuts feel scary because of allergies in your house, sunflower seeds are a genuinely good substitute—soak them the same way and blend them until creamy, and you'll barely notice the difference.
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