Creamy Dill Pasta Salad

A Creamy Dill Pasta Salad that’s packed with colorful veggies and plant-based goodness. It’s a nut-free sauce, made with tofu (a great plant-based protein) and tahini to give it that creamy texture. It’s packed with flavor from all the dill and spices, and it’s packed with crunch from all the veggies. Serve it as a side salad or enjoy as the main course.

This pasta dish is usually best the second day after the flavors have had a chance to sit and come together.

Vegan Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

1- 8 oz package lentil pasta or whole wheat pasta

2 cup diced celery

1 cup diced bell pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup shredded purple cabbage

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Sauce:

1- 16 oz package silken tofu

1 tablespoon tahini

½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons dried dill

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼  teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon white miso paste

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or white vinegar)

Method:

  1. Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package.
  2. Wash and prep the celery, bell peppers, onion, carrots, and purple cabbage. Dice the veggies small into bite size pieces. Add to a large bowl with the raisins.
  3. In a high speed blender, combine the tofu with the tahini, spices, vinegar, and miso. Blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the veggies in the bowl and then add in the cooked pasta. Stir until everything is well combined. Add any additional seasonings to taste and then let the dish sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours to let the flavors set (this is one of those dishes that usually tastes best the second day).

Makes enough for 4-6 people

Notes:

*Miso is used to add saltiness in my recipes. Feel free to omit it here and use a salt-free seasonings of choice or a pinch of salt if you desire. I occasionally add iodized sea salt to my recipes, but most days prefer to use just miso and spices.

Recipe inspired by the Minimalist Baker