The Best Vegan Pasta Salad

🧂 Ingredients

• 4 cups kale

  stemmed and chopped
• 10 cherry tomatoes

  halved
• ½ english cucumber

  seeded, peeled, chopped in half
• 16 oz fusilli

  cooked and cooled
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 5 baby bell peppers

  seeded sliced
• ½ head cauliflower

  florets
• 1 can chickpeas

  drained
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 roasted baby bell peppers

  de-stemmed
• 5 kalamata olives
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 ea black pepper

  fresh ground to taste

Instructions

• 1 First, put on water to boil and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once boiling, cook
  the pasta according to package then rinse with cold water, drain and set aside
  to cool.
• 2 Meanwhile, on a sheet pan place cauliflower, baby bell peppers and chickpeas.
  Season with salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, olive oil and toss until well
  mixed and cook for 20 minutes.
• 3 Then, add the kale to a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 pinch salt
  and a few grinds of pepper and massage by mixing and squeezing gently until you
  feel the leaves tenderized.
• 4 Next, make the dressing by adding 3 of the roasted baby bells, olives, olive
  oil, balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper to a blender and
  blend until smooth and creamy.
• 5 Last, add tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted cauliflower, the remaining bell peppers,
  crunchy chickpeas and the pasta to the bowl of massaged kale. Pour dressing over
  and mix.
• 6 Serve chilled and eat within 3-4 days for best quality. After pasta salad sits
  for a day or two, it can get a bit dry. Toss with a couple more drops of vinegar
  and oil if it needs to be refreshed.

Nutrition Info