Description
Vegan Southwest Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that brings together colorful ingredients and bold tastes, making it perfect for summer gatherings. This dish features whole wheat pasta tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy bell peppers, and creamy cashew dressing. Packed with nutrients from fresh vegetables and legumes like black beans and corn, this salad is not only delicious but also healthy. It’s versatile enough to serve as a standalone meal, a side at BBQs, or even as part of meal prep for the week. With just 25 minutes of prep time, you can create a satisfying dish that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz whole wheat pasta
- 16 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 can black beans
- 2 cups fire-roasted corn
- 1 cup raw cashews
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Chipotle peppers
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Smoked paprika
Instructions
- Cook the whole wheat pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Blend cashews, lime juice, garlic, chipotle peppers, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and water in a high-speed blender until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine halved tomatoes with salt. Add diced bell pepper, onion, cilantro, black beans, corn, and cooked pasta.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine.
- Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour for flavors to meld before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Southwest
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg