VEGAN CREAMY RANCH MACARONI SALAD

Vegan Creamy Ranch Macaroni Salad image

We've swapped in a creamy cashew ranch dressing for heavy mayo in our veggie-packed macaroni salad.

Provided by Silvana Nardone

Categories side-dish

Time 4h45m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours, then rinsed and drained
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
Kosher salt
One 8-ounce box quinoa elbow-macaroni pasta
20 grape tomatoes, halved
2 leaves lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves finely chopped crosswise (save stems for another use)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 ear corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Steps:

Blend the cashews, oil, vinegar, dried herbs, garlic powder, honey, onion powder, black pepper and 1 cup water in a blender (preferably high-speed) until smooth; season to taste with salt and refrigerate until cold.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes; rinse with cold water and drain. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss; let cool.
In a large bowl, toss together the cooled macaroni, tomatoes, kale, celery, corn and bell pepper. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 409, Fat 23 grams, SaturatedFat 2.7 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 107 milligrams, Carbohydrate 46.6 grams, Fiber 3.9 grams, Protein 7.7 grams, Sugar 5.1 grams