Vegan Creamy Pesto Chickpea (Printable Version)

A colorful pasta salad featuring creamy pesto, chickpeas, arugula, and fresh veggies for a light, tasty dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 fresh 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 (14 oz) chickpeas, 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

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
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 cooled pasta, chickpeas, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber.
04 - Pour creamy pesto over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to develop flavors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pesto tastes genuinely creamy without any dairy, using soaked cashews that melt into silky richness.
  • Its protein-packed enough to be a full meal, not just a side dish, thanks to the chickpeas doing heavy lifting.
  • You can make it in thirty minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner or next-day lunch prep without stress.
02 -
  • Do not skip soaking the cashews—they need that water absorption to blend into actual cream instead of chunky paste.
  • The arugula wilts slightly if the pasta is still warm, so always cool the pasta properly before mixing.
  • This salad is best the same day you make it, but if you have leftovers, store the pesto and pasta separately and combine them when you're ready to eat.
03 -
  • Make the pesto a day ahead if you want the garlic flavor to mellow slightly; it also saves you time when assembling.
  • Use a box grater to shred the cucumber instead of dicing it if you want more surface area for the dressing to coat.
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