Roasted Garlic & Lemon White Bean Caesar Pasta Salad

Step 1: Prepare Garlic for Roasting

Cut off the top of 1 bulb of garlic. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves. Wrap the garlic in the parchment paper.

Step 2: Roast Garlic

Place the wrapped garlic on a baking tray and bake at 425°F (≈220°C) (approximately 220°C) (218°C (≈425°F) (approximately 425°F)) for 25-35 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and mellow.

Step 3: Prepare Lemons and Sundried Tomatoes

Cut 1 1/2 lemons in half and set them aside. Ensure 1/4 cup (28g) of sundried tomatoes are chopped and ready.

Step 4: Cook Pasta

Add 1 tsp of salt to a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add 12 oz (340g) of pasta noodles and bring the water back to a boil. Cook according to package directions until the pasta is al dente.

Step 5: Reserve Pasta Water and Cool Pasta

Before draining the pasta, scoop out 1/2 cup (120ml) of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the remaining water from the pasta and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 6: Massage Kale

Place 4 cups (100g) of kale in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the juice from 1/2 lemon. Use your hands to massage the oil and lemon through the kale leaves for about 1-2 minutes, until the kale softens and reduces significantly in volume.

Step 7: Prepare Dressing Base

Once the roasted garlic is out of the oven and cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft, caramelized cloves out of the bulb directly into a blender cup.

Step 8: Blend Dressing Ingredients

To the blender cup with the roasted garlic, add 1/3 cup (73g) vegan mayo, 2 tbsps nutritional yeast, the juice from the remaining 1 lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp capers, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Blend all ingredients until completely smooth.

Step 9: Adjust Dressing Consistency

Gradually add the reserved 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta water to the dressing while blending, until it reaches a consistency that clings well to the pasta but is still pourable.

Step 10: Assemble the Salad

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, massaged kale, 1 15oz can (425g) of white beans (such as cannellini or butter beans), and the chopped sundried tomatoes.

Step 11: Dress and Serve

Pour the roasted garlic Caesar dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss everything together thoroughly to ensure all components are well coated. Optionally, top with roasted and seasoned breadcrumbs and extra nutritional yeast for added crunch and flavor. Serve immediately or chill for later enjoyment.

• Massaging kale with olive oil and lemon juice softens its texture and reduces bitterness.

• Use pasta water to adjust the consistency of the dressing to ensure it clings well but is still pourable.

• Adding roasted and seasoned breadcrumbs or croutons provides a nice crunch.

• Use butter beans instead of cannellini beans.

• Add seasoned breadcrumbs or croutons for extra crunch.

• Add nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor and B12.