Deluxe Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

Are you looking for a delicious meatless cold pasta dish? I put together this vegan pasta salad that’s full of zesty, lemony flavor without meat, eggs, or dairy.

Ah, some days it’s nice to just put on a hearty meal that isn’t eaten hot at all; cue this plant-based pasta salad. With snipped fresh herbs, vegetables like black olives, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and pasta of your choosing, you’ll have a zesty, ready-to-eat vegan pasta salad about an hour.

Read on to find out how to make vegan pasta salad—our deluxe version makes this a hearty meal and completely customizable by you!

Supplies to gather

Pull out everything you need before you get started. This will help ensure you have everything on hand before committing ingredients.

Tools:

• Six-quart pot for boiling water
• Stovetop
• Large prep bowl
• Small prep bowl
• Colander
• Wooden spoon
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• Small pasta, like rotini or macaroni, gluten free or otherwise
• Cherry tomatoes
• Avocado (you can leave it out if you don’t like it)
• Black olives (you can buy them sliced to save you some time)
• Red onion (colorful and mild)
• Red bell pepper (any color will work, but red tends to be the sweetest and least bitter)
• Oregano (fresh is best, but dried will work)
• Basil (fresh is best, but dried is ok too)
• Optional: A handful of cucumber chunks as desired

For the dressing:

• Garlic powder (or a garlic blend)
• Extra virgin olive oil (the highest quality you are comfortable with)
• Lemon juice (fresh is great, but we use the kind in a jar a lot)
• Salt (I tend to like a lot of salt, but add more right before serving if you think you’ll need it)
• Black pepper
• Sugar: Table sugar, date sugar, sweetener or leave it out

How to make vegan pasta salad

Prep the fresh produce – Slice avocado, chop olives, wash then scissor the basil and oregano (if using fresh), dice red onion, and quarter or halve the cherry tomatoes. Set all aside for now.

Cook pasta – Put water on to boil while you prep the fresh produce. Then cook the pasta according to the directions on the packaging. After cooking the pasta, drain into a colander over the sink, then rinse the pasta in cold water. This will stop the cooking process and help keep the pasta from sticking while it sits.

Make the dressing – The next step is to assemble the dressing by mixing all the dressing ingredients. If you want an oil-free dressing, try this one. Use in place of the dressing in this pasta salad recipe.

Assemble the salad – In your large bowl, add your cut vegetables, herbs, then the dressing, then the pasta.

Stir and serve – With a large wooden spoon, gently combine all of the ingredients. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Spoon the vegan pasta salad into bowls and garnish with more snipped herbs or a shake or two of salt and pepper. 

This salad tastes best and freshest eaten by the next day, which gives the flavors opportunity to combine. After 24 hours however, the fresh produce begins to wilt and leak, which will cause the pasta to become gummy.

Tips for making vegan pasta salad

• Cook the pasta al dente because it will continue to cook and then absorb all the dressing. Gluten free pasta, depending on the kind of flour it’s made from, tends to break apart easily; stir and combine gently.
• If you are serving the pasta the next day, it may seem a bit dry. Add 2 T of water, lemon juice, or olive oil and toss gently before serving.
• Taste test: Don’t add more seasoning until the flavors have had a chance to meld. Wait until it’s time to serve and check to see if it needs more moisture and/or salt.
• You can add almost any of your favorite vegetables, herbs, and more to this vegan pasta salad. Try cucumber, chickpeas, cold, roasted zucchini, massaged kale or spinach, even small-diced, marinated extra firm tofu for added protein.

The bottom line

The key to this deluxe vegan pasta salad recipe is using fresh, seasonal ingredients. The tomatoes should be ripe and juicy, the bell pepper should be crisp, and the red onion should be sweet. The basil should be fresh and fragrant. If you can, try to grow your own herbs in your garden. If not, you can find fresh herbs at most grocery stores. Check the label on the pasta to make sure it meets your dietary requirements before adding to the rest of the ingredients.