Creamy Vegan Taco Pasta Salad

The creamy, savory dressing is made with cashews, salsa, lime juice, taco seasoning, and nutritional yeast, so no vegan mayo or sour cream is required. Toss it with pasta, black beans, and roasted corn for an easy lunch, a light dinner, or a meal-prep pasta salad in under 30 minutes (not including the time to soak the cashews).

The cold vegan pasta salad is great chilled, which makes it perfect for warm-weather meals, potlucks, packed lunches, or BBQs. For more easy vegan pasta recipes, try tahini pasta or one-pot southwest pasta.

Recipe features

• Creamy without mayo, thanks to a salsa-lime cashew dressing
• Ready in under 30 minutes with canned beans, frozen corn, and pantry staples
• Great chilled, so it works well for meal prep, BBQs, potlucks, or an easy vegan pasta salad for lunches
• Easy to customize with extra veggies, avocado, or tortilla chips
• Vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, and easy to make gluten-free with gluten-free pasta

Ingredient notes and substitutions

This vegan taco pasta salad uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact measurements.

Pasta - Choose a short, sturdy pasta. Rotini, shells, bowties, fusilli, or penne work best because they hold the creamy dressing and mix easily with the beans and corn.

Black beans - Canned black beans keep the recipe quick and easy. Drain and rinse them well before adding them to the oil-free vegan pasta salad.  Instead of black beans, try pinto beans, chickpeas, tofu meat crumbles, or lentil taco meat.

Roasted corn - Roasted corn adds sweetness and a little smoky flavor. I use thawed frozen roasted corn, but thawed frozen sweet corn, drained canned corn, or fresh grilled corn all work.

Cashews - Use raw cashews for the mildest, creamiest dressing. Whole cashews or cashew pieces both work.  Soaked cashews make the dressing creamy without using dairy or mayo. 

Salsa - We use a mild, chunky store-bought salsa to add a lot of flavor to the dressing. Mild, medium, or hot all work; just choose how spicy you want the pasta salad.

Lime juice - Fresh lime juice brightens up the creamy dressing and balances the richness from the cashews.

Taco seasoning - Taco seasoning gives the dressing its savory, taco-inspired flavor. Use your favorite store-bought blend or homemade taco seasoning.  Taco seasoning can vary in saltiness, so always adjust the salt in the recipe to your preferences.

Nutritional yeast - Adds a little savory, cheesy flavor without dairy.

How to soak cashews

Option one: Place the cashews in a container with enough water to cover them by 1 inch (the cashews will swell as they soak) and soak the nuts overnight (or about 8 hours). Drain before using.
Option two: Boil enough water to cover the cashews by at least 1 inch and pour the hot water over the nuts in a heat-tolerant container.  Soak for around 20 minutes on the counter.  If you don't have a high-speed blender, you may need to soak them longer than 30 minutes.  Drain the cashews before using them.

How to make vegan taco pasta salad

1. Soak the cashews overnight in water, covered by about 1 inch, then drain before using. For a quicker option, pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for about 20-30 minutes, or longer if you don't have a high-speed blender. Drain the cashews before blending.

2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, then rinse the pasta under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking.  Drain the pasta well so as not to add excess liquid to the dressing.

3. While the pasta cooks, blend the soaked cashews, salsa, water, lime juice, taco seasoning, nutritional yeast, and salt until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

4. Add the cooked pasta, black beans, and roasted corn to a large bowl. Pour the creamy salsa-lime dressing over the top, then toss until everything is evenly coated.

5. Chill before serving, or enjoy right away at room temperature.  To keep any added veggies or crunchy toppings from getting soggy, wait to add them until you're ready to serve.

Tips

• Cook the pasta just until al dente. Softer pasta can become mushy once it's tossed with the dressing.
• Rinse the pasta after cooking. This cools it down and keeps it from sticking together, but drain it well to not add excess liquid to the dressing.
• Blend the dressing until very smooth.  Adjust the water in the recipe based on how thick or thin your salsa is.  The dressing should pour out of the blender slowly with some help from a spoon.
• Taste before serving. Pasta can mellow flavors as it sits, so add more lime juice, salt, or taco seasoning if needed.

Variations and add-ins

This taco pasta salad can be easily bulked up with extra veggies and toppings.

Fresh veggies - Diced bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, green onions, red onion, jalapeño, or shredded lettuce all work well. If using lettuce or cherry tomatoes, add them just before serving for the best texture.

Creamy add-ins - Diced avocado adds creaminess and makes the pasta salad even more filling. Add it right before serving so it stays fresh.

Briny toppings - Sliced black olives and pickled jalapeños add a salty, tangy bite.  Since briny toppings are very salty, you may want to adjust the salt in the dressing.

Fresh herbs - Chopped cilantro pairs really well with the salsa-lime dressing and gives the pasta salad a fresh pop of flavor.

Crunchy toppings - Crushed tortilla chips or pepitas add crunch, but sprinkle them on right before serving so they don't get soggy.

More protein - Add extra black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentil walnut taco meat, ground tofu meat crumbles, or baked tofu.

Make it spicy - Use medium or hot salsa, add pickled jalapeños, stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper, or top the pasta salad with your favorite hot sauce.

Serving suggestions

Serve this creamy dairy-free pasta salad as a light lunch, easy dinner, or side dish for potlucks and cookouts. It pairs well with fresh toppings like cilantro, avocado, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, or a squeeze of lime.

For a bigger meal, serve it with a side salad, roasted vegetables, tortilla chips and salsa, fresh fruit, or an easy fruit salad.

Storage and meal prep

This vegan taco pasta salad is best served chilled or at room temperature. You can eat it right after mixing, or store leftover vegan pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For the best texture, store any crunchy toppings, fresh toppings (like tomatoes and lettuce), or avocado separately and then add them just before serving. The dressing thickens as it sits in the refrigerator, so stir in a splash of water or lime juice to loosen it up if needed.

This recipe works well for meal prep because the black beans, corn, pasta, and creamy dressing hold up well in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving and taste to see if it needs an extra pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime.

Vegan pasta salad FAQs

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I hope you enjoy the recipe!  If you did, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.