Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad

For the Vegan Caesar dressing: Soak the cashews for at least an hour. Drain the soaked cashews, then add them to a blender along with 0.5 cup water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp capers, 2 tbsp water from the capers jar, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp vegan Mayo, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

For the Crispy Chickpeas: Drain and pat dry one can of chickpeas. In a bowl, coat the chickpeas with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp paprika, 0.25 tsp cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Bake the coated chickpeas at 425°F for 15 minutes.

To Assemble the Salad: Cook 3 cups of gluten-free pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water to cool it down. Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl with 2 cups of kale. Add half of the prepared Caesar dressing and mix well. Then, add in the cooked crispy chickpeas and the remaining Caesar dressing. Mix everything together thoroughly. Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top before serving.