Viral Crispy Pasta Salad (High-Protein)

A wooden bowl of viral crispy pasta salad with crunchy pasta, green goddess dressing, chickpeas, avocado, and pistachios on a white surface.

Viral Crispy Pasta Salad (High-Protein)

This high-protein crispy pasta salad is fresh, crunchy, and packed with chickpeas, greens, avocado, and a creamy dairy-free green goddess dressing.

Author Sarah Cobacho (plantbaes.com)

PREP TIME15

COOK TIME25

TOTAL TIME40

Servings 2

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American-Inspired

Keyword avocado, basil, chickpea salad, chickpeas, crispy pasta salad, cucumber, green goddess dressing, hemp seeds, High Protein, high-protein pasta salad, pasta, spinach, tofu

Ingredients

Crispy Pasta

4.5 oz dried pasta of choice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp sea salt flakes

Green Goddess Dressing

½ cup fresh basil
2 tbsp fresh chives
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh dill
5.5 oz silken tofu
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp pickled jalapeños
2 tsp baby capers
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp hemp seeds
sea salt flakes to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad

1 ½ cups cooked butterbeans
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup arugula
1 medium cucumber finely diced
2 scallions finely sliced
½ avocado diced
½ cup broccoli sprouts
2 tbsp pistachios roughly chopped

Instructions

Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, then rinse under cold water until it cools down. Drain really thoroughly, or pat dry, you don't want excess water.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection / fan on. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Crisp the pasta: In a bowl, combine the cooked pasta, olive oil, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt flakes. Mix well to coat, then spread on the tray in an even layer. Bake on the top rack for 25 minutes, stirring halfway, or until crispy (this can vary slightly depending on the shape of pasta used).
Make the dressing: In a small blender, add the basil, chives, parsley, dill, silken tofu, lemon juice, jalapeños, capers, maple syrup, hemp seeds, and a pinch of sea salt flakes and pepper. Blend until smooth, then keep in the fridge to thicken while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the greens (baby spinach and arugula, or other greens if using), butter beans, cucumber, scallion, avocado, broccoli sprouts, and pistachios.
Serve: Add the crispy pasta while it is still hot, drizzle with the dressing, toss, and enjoy straight away.

Notes

Meal prep: The crispy pasta loses its texture if stored. If you're meal prepping, skip the baking, toss cooked and cooled pasta with a drizzle of olive oil, then add to the salad with the rest of the ingredients and keep the dressing separate.

Greens: You can use any greens or lettuce you like in place of the baby spinach and arugula.

Nut-free option: Swap the pistachios for sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Nutritional Information - Per Serving