Vegan Creamy Corn Pasta Salad!  Taking pasta salad to the next level with this creamy, southwestern pasta salad that is sure to be the talk of the town.

Incredibly vibrant and full of nutritious goodness, this oil-free Vegan Creamy Corn Pasta Salad brings all those amazing southwestern flavors together in a delicious pasta salad. Wholesome plant powerhouse ingredients like: bell peppers, red onions, corn, tomatoes and fusilli pasta perfectly coated in a velvety cashew sauce is sure to have the whole family begging for more.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

Vegan Creamy Corn Pasta Salad is a new family favorite.  We ate this pasta salad up like it was going out of style. It is hearty and crazy delicious.

The creamy southwestern dressing is perfectly seasoned, and I cannot recommend this recipe enough.  Your taste buds will be delighted. It is hearty enough to serve as a main dish, but it can also be served as a side dish. It’s great for lunch, picnics, and pot lucks and sure to get rave reviews.

Tips for Success:

• Cooking the Pasta: Thoroughly rinse the cooked pasta in cold water until the pasta is cold, then shake off any excess water and allow to drain for a few minutes, then shake the pasta again before adding to the bowl.  Lift up the pasta with your fingers and wiggle with your fingers (to release extra trapped water). Any lingering water that hangs onto the pasta will water down your dressing.
• Petite Diced Tomatoes: If you wish you can also use about 1 ¼ cups of freshly diced and seeded tomatoes.  We really liked using canned petite diced tomatoes in this recipe simply because winter tomatoes can taste bland at this time of the year.  Simply place the petite diced tomatoes into a strainer over a bowl (or sink) and drain off as much liquid as you can. We picked up the petite diced tomatoes with our fingers and toss them down into the strainer to get rid of the excess tomato liquid. You can save the tomato liquid (sauce) if you wish to use in another recipe or discard.  You really want to get rid of the excess liquid or it will “water” down your dressing.
• Amount of Pasta: We enjoyed using 6 oz. of pasta, but you can use up to 8 oz. of pasta.  Using 6 oz. will ensure a creamy pasta dish as the pasta really tends to drinks up the dressing.  While it is tempting to use more than 8 oz., we recommend adding the lower amount of pasta, giving the salad a good stir, then allowing the pasta salad to absorb the flavor.  If you still feel that the salad can use more pasta, feel free to add more.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.  We suggest removing from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before serving to wake up the flavors.

Cashew Based Dressings:  Cashew based dressings tend to become really thick once refrigerated, we suggest removing from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before serving, stir the pasta salad, and add a splash of water or distilled white vinegar to loosen up the dressing.

Gluten Free Pasta:  If using a gluten free pasta, then you know the issues with refrigerating gluten free pasta. Some gluten free pastas really tighten up in the refrigerator making for a very unpleasant eating experience when served cold.  We absolutely loved this pasta salad served right after making it at room temperature.  It was crazy delicious. If you do have to refrigerate it, we suggest removing it from the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.   If you do not need to be gluten free, feel free to use your favorite pasta.

Freezing:  We do not recommend freezing this pasta salad.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Chili Powder: We used Penzeys Regular Chili Powder.  It has great flavor without being overly spicy.  You can use your favorite chili powder, just make sure it is not a hot chili powder.

Kitchen Products Used:

• Stock pot to cook the pasta
• High-speed blender

We certainly hope you give this deliciousness a try.

If you try this flavorful pasta salad, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!  We would love to hear from you.

Vegan Creamy Corn Pasta Salad

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 10 Minutes
• Total Time: 30 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Vibrant, flavorful, and full of nutritious goodness, this oil-free Vegan Creamy Corn Pasta Salad is perfect for lunches, pot lucks, and more!

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Ingredients

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Salad Ingredients:

• ¾ cup green bell peppers, diced
• ¼ cup red onion, fine dice
• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] corn, drained
• 1 – [ 14 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes, drained *
• 6 to 8 oz. dry GF fusilli pasta (or pasta of choice) *

Dressing Ingredients:

• ¼ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoon organic maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon regular chili powder *
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

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Instructions

1. Cook the fusilli pasta according to package directions, rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch, shake off excess water, set aside to use in Step 3.
2. In the meantime, place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes, then drain off and discard the water. Place the soaked cashews into a high-speed blender along with all the remaining Dressing Ingredients.  Blend until smooth and emulsified.  Set aside.
3. Place all the Salad Ingredients (including the cooked pasta) into a large bowl, mix to evenly distribute the ingredients.
4. Pour the dressing over the mixture, gently toss. Taste test for flavor.  Add more seasoning, if needed. Best if served immediately at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers.

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Servings:  4

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