Vegan Vegetable Pasta Salad with Spicy Asian Sesame Peanut Dressing

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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Pasta salads. Who doesn’t like them? I guess – people who don’t like pasta but do such people exist? Pasta is a universal thing – like bread. Is there anyone that doesn’t like bread? Anyway – lots of pasta salads are drenched in mayo-based sauces & there is no shortage of those that object to mayo. Even those of us that love mayo are hesitant to eat a pasta salad with mayo that has been sitting out in the backyard BBQ too long. So – why not eliminate two major objections & make a vegan pasta salad? Nothing in it quick to spoil & nothing white & creamy to freak out the mayo-haters.

I used ingredients I happened to have so – this is a very flexible salad. I wanted to use edamame but only had Lima beans – so fuck it. I used Lima beans. I had those gorgeous watermelon radishes but they were used primarily for their looks. You could eliminate any ingredient – or add some – with no negative impact. This is a light & clean alternative to accompany the entrees at BBQ’s which – let’s face it – tend to be meaty & heavy.

Vegan Vegetable Pasta Salad with Spicy Asian Sesame Peanut Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of pasta

6 oz edamame (or Lima beans)

1 small head of broccoli – cut into small florets

4 carrots – grated

2 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange are prettiest) – grated or diced

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas – drained & rinsed

1-4 jalapenos – seeded & either grated or minced

4 radishes – grated or chopped

3 scallions – sliced

1/4 cup cilantro – chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup roasted peanuts

GARNISH – extra radish slices. cilantro, extra peanuts

for the dressing

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

4 TBS hoisin sauce

4 TBS liquid amino acids (or low sodium soy sauce or tamari)

4 TBS rice vinegar

4 TBS agave nectar

4 TBS sriracha

1 tsp chili oil

2 TBS sesame oil

1-4 garlic cloves – minced

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the dressing & set aside.

Cook the pasta & add the broccoli for the last minute or two that it cooks. Drain & rinse pasta & broccoli under cold water.

Toss the salad ingredients together.

Add some dressing & toss. Add as much as you like – which might be less than you made. Overdressed salads get icky so add dressing incrementally until it is where you like it.

Garnish & serve.