High Protein Pasta Salad

Whisk your taste buds away with a zesty, creamy blend of cashew-tofu sauce and al dente chickpea pasta, married with the smoky sweetness of fire-roasted corn, the freshness of cilantro, and a kick of chipotle, all culminating in a hearty dish that's as nutritious as it is delicious.

Time to read: 4 mins | Time to make: ~40 minutes | Yields: 5 servings

Ingredients

Tofu Cashew Sauce

• 2/3 cup (100 g) raw unsalted cashews

• 3.5 oz (100 g) tofu, firm drained

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, optional 

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste

• Black pepper

• 1 cup (240 ml) soy milk

• 2-3 tablespoons  water

Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 8 oz chickpeas penne pasta

• 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 medium shallot, finely diced

• 1 medium red bell pepper, medium diced

• 1 cup fire-roasted corn, frozen

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

Method

1. Place cashews in a heat-proof bowl and cover with almost boiling water. Soak for at least 10 minutes. If you remember this night before, you can soak your cashews overnight in cold water.

2. Cook pasta to al dente in well-salted water. Drain and set aside.

3. While cashews are soaking and pasta is cooking, chop red bell peppers, shallot, and cilantro, drain and rinse beans, and then drain well.

4. If your corn is frozen, add it to a microwave-safe bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave for 5-7 minutes.

5. Drain the cashews. To a blender, add the soaked cashews, pressed tofu, and other sauce ingredients except for water. Blend on high until smooth. If needed, add additional water 1-2 tablespoons at a time.

6. In a large bowl, place the cooked pasta, cashew sauce, black beans, shallots, red bell pepper, corn, and cilantro. Stir to combine.

7. Taste and add lime juice, salt or red pepper flakes. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

8. Enjoy!

Notes

CASHEWS: Make sure to use raw cashews and, if possible, soak overnight for the creamiest sauce.

CHIPOTLE PEPERS: They add smoky and delicious flavor but are spicy! Remember when deciding if you want to incorporate the m into the sauce.

PASTA: This is the pasta I used: BANZA

Nutrition facts per one serving:

Energy: 427kcal | Carbs: 60.6 g | Protein: 22.6 g | Fat: 14.5 g