Vegan Cashew Pesto Pasta Salad

This vegan cashew pesto pasta salad is the perfect summer lunch or light dinner. You can quickly whip up the cashew pesto in a food processor and the result will be absolutely bursting with flavour.

Try my creamy zucchini pasta without cream next!

Vegan cashew pesto is a dairy-free version of classic pesto, which is typically made with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. The texture is out of this world and the taste will make you want to use the pesto in just about anything.

I love this pesto in a summer pasta salad, but it also works great in dips, mashed potatoes, as a dressing, in soups or simply on bread. The possibilities are truly endless.

What do you need to make vegan cashew pesto?

Cashews - Before I use cashews in pesto, I toast them for 1-2 minutes in a dry pan. You need to be careful not to burn them. You can skip this step if you want, but toasting the cashews really brings out the nutty flavour.

Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice for pesto. Try to use quality olive oil because it really makes a difference.

Fresh basil - Basil is a very fragrant herb, so half a bunch is enough for this pesto. You may soften the pesto by replacing half of the basil with fresh baby spinach leaves. The pesto will retain its brilliant green colour, and the basil taste will be toned down a bit.

Nutritional yeast - Traditional pesto is made with Parmesan or pecorino cheese, which you can easily replace with nutritional yeast for a vegan version.

Wild rocket - This is optional, but I like how the flavour of wild rocket pairs with that of the basil.

What ingredients should you add to the pasta salad?

Just like any other pasta salad, versatility is the keyword here. You can add just about any veggies you want, fresh or grilled.

I like a mix of sundried tomatoes and roasted red peppers plus a handful of toasted sunflower seeds for extra crunchiness.

Other ideas you may try include grilled courgettes (zucchini), cherry tomatoes, red onion, green olives, artichokes, or steamed broccoli.

You can also substitute the sunflower seeds with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.

How do you make the cashew pesto pasta salad?

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, make the pesto.

• Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
• Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and allow it to cool for a bit.
• Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto until well covered. Use a bit of pasta water if it looks too thick.
• Add the roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, wild rocket, and toasted sunflower seeds and stir to combine.
• Season to taste and serve with extra wild rocket on top.

Recipe notes and tips

• This pasta salad gets better over time, so you can easily make it in advance. You can keep it in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
• Choose an olive oil with a taste you enjoy on its own when making pesto.
• You can substitute the cashews with pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, and even sunflower seeds.
• Add a bit of lemon juice to the pesto to brighten up the flavour.
• Refrigerate any leftover pesto with a coating of olive oil on top. You can also freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and cover them with plastic wrap for longer-term storage.

If you liked this vegan cashew pesto pasta salad, you might also like some of my other easy vegan pasta recipes:

Creamy Vegan Lemon and Basil Pasta

Vegan Saffron Pasta with Lemon

Vegan Chickpea Pasta Sauce

Creamy Vegan Peanut Pasta

Vegan Pasta Alla Norma

Vegan Spicy Miso Pasta

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