Easy Vegan Pasta Salad with Veggies
This quick & easy Vegan Pasta Salad is really simple to make and loaded with fresh, healthy ingredients. Made with chickpeas and veggies, it’s hearty enough to be a main dish or used as a simple side dish.
Cold pasta salad is a welcomed addition to any summer picnic or lunch, and my family enjoys it all year round. It’s easy to make in only about 20 minutes, and we all love it. This vegan macaroni salad and my roasted garlic butter pasta are other great vegan pasta recipe options.
For those needing a dish to take to a potluck, luncheon, or picnic, this is the ideal recipe to make ahead of time because its flavors are enhanced by refrigerating for hours or even a day or two in advance. My Healthy Vegan Coleslaw and Country Egg-Less Potato Salad are also fabulous for social functions.
Reasons we love this recipe
- Health-Conscious Ingredients: This pasta salad is packed with nutrient-dense vegetables and whole-grain pasta, making it a healthy choice for anyone looking to eat a balanced diet. The absence of oil and low-fat content help you consume fewer calories while still enjoying a flavorful dish.
- Bursting with Flavor: Despite being oil-free and low-fat, this pasta salad is bursting with flavor thanks to a combination of fresh herbs, tangy vinegar, and zesty lemon juice. It’s a delicious way to enjoy a light and refreshing meal without compromising on taste.
- Easy and Quick to Prepare: This vegan pasta salad is quick and easy to prepare, making it a convenient option for busy individuals or families. With minimal cooking required, you can whip up a nutritious and tasty meal in no time, perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients you will need
- Pasta- Any type of pasta will work. I like to use spiral pasta or even elbow or bow-tie pasta. Gluten-free pasta works great too.
- Beans- Chickpeas are what I love, and other great options are black beans, red kidney beans, and blackeye peas. Use canned beans or make your own.
- Olives- These are optional, and I like black olives. Green olives can also be used.
- Veggies- My preferences are green (or red) onion, red or green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh parsley.
- Dressing- The sauce is made from vegan mayo (Homemade Vegan Mayo), vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and a few spices.
Substitutions and suggestions
- Gluten-free pasta- I actually use brown rice spiral pasta to make this even though my family isn’t gluten-free. There are plenty of other GF pasta options available as well.
- Spiral veggie noodles- Use spiral zucchini or squash noodles to replace the pasta if desired.
- Vinegar- I use apple cider vinegar, but other options include white, balsamic, and red wine vinegar.
- Meal prep recipe- If you are planning to keep this pasta salad for a few days and eat on it throughout the week, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
- Toppings- Try my Vegan Cashew Parmesan sprinkled over the top and serve with lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over the top. Toss in a few sunflower seeds while you’re at it to add a little crunchy texture.
How to make vegan pasta salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by cooking the pasta according to the package directions, except undercook them by about 2-3 minutes so they will be al dente. This will help the salad not to be mushy. I add a dash of salt to the water, but that is completely optional.
Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it by pouring it into a colander and running cold water over the top to stop the cooking process and remove the starchy film.
STEP #2: While the pasta is cooking is the perfect time to make the dressing and chop the veggies.
Place all of the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together well then set to the side.
One of the ingredients is vegan mayonnaise, and my Homemade Eggless Vegan Mayo is perfect and only takes about 5 minutes to make. Store-bought vegan mayo can also be used, but it is much higher in fat.
STEP #3: Wash and dice up the veggies to be used. I really like green (or red) onion, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh parsley. Sliced black olives also make a terrific addition, but they are optional.
STEP #4: I use canned chickpeas for this recipe, but freshly cooked Instant Pot chickpeas work great too. Drain and rinse canned beans before using them.
STEP #5: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, veggies, beans, and dressing sauce. Combine well, making sure the dressing is covering all of it. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to suit your taste preferences.
STEP #6: Serve immediately at room temperature, but we really like it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or even overnight.
Storing leftovers
To me, the leftovers are even better than fresh ones because refrigerating them helps the flavors have time to marry up. In an airtight container, leftovers should last for up to 5-6 days which means this is also a great meal prep recipe to eat on throughout the week.
If you are planning to keep it for a few days, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
For pasta salad, short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or fusilli work best as they hold up well when mixed with other ingredients and dressing. Whole grain or gluten-free pasta can also be used for added nutrition or dietary preferences. Make sure to choose pasta that’s firm when cooked al dente for the best texture.
To prevent your salad from drying out, toss the pasta with a small amount of dressing while it’s still slightly warm. This helps the pasta absorb the flavors. Additionally, if you’re preparing it ahead of time, save some dressing to mix in just before serving to refresh the salad and maintain its moisture.
Yes, it can be made ahead of time, which makes it a great option for meal prep. Prepare the salad a few hours or up to a day in advance, allowing the flavors to meld together. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before serving, adding extra dressing if needed to refresh the salad.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Easy Vegan Pasta Salad with Veggies
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups pasta spiral, elbow, bow ties, etc
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas this is 15 oz can, drained
- 3/4 cup black olives drained and sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper red, green, yellow, diced
- 3-4 green onions sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
Dressing
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo see my homemade recipe in this link
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white, balsamic, red wine vinegars
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 + teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the pasta according to the package directions, except undercook them by about 2-3 minutes so they will be al dente. This will help the salad not to be mushy.
- I add a dash of salt to the water, but that is completely optional.
- Once the pasta is finished, drain it by pouring it into a colander and running cold water over the top to stop the cooking process and remove the starchy film.
- While the pasta is cooking is the perfect time to make the dressing. Simply whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and set to the side. One of the ingredients is vegan mayonnaise, and my Homemade Mayo is perfect and only takes about 5-minutes to make.
- I use canned chickpeas for this recipe, but freshly cooked beans work great too. Drain and rinse canned beans before using them.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, veggies, beans, and dressing sauce. Combine well, making sure the dressing is covering all of it. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to suit your taste preferences.
- It can be served immediately at room temperature, but we really like it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or even overnight.
Video
Notes
- Gluten free pasta- I actually use brown rice spiral pasta to make this even though my family isn’t gluten-free. There are plenty of other GF pasta options available as well.
- Spiral veggie noodles- Use spiral zucchini or squash noodles to replace the pasta if desired.
- Vinegar- I use apple cider vinegar, but other options include white, balsamic, and red wine vinegar.
- Meal prep recipe- If you are planning to keep this pasta salad for a few days and eat on it throughout the week, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
- Toppings- Try my Vegan Parmesan sprinkled over the top and serve with lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over the top. Toss in a few sunflower seeds while you’re at it to add a little crunchy texture.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
This is an incredibly delicious pasta salad. My husband loves pasta salad and is not a plant based eater. I never ate pasta salad until I met him and generally find them unacceptable due to the dressing. This dressing is delicious. It is so helpful to have one we both love. Plus the mayonnaise recipe is delicious and I have leftover to make something else.
What an AWESOME review and endorsement for this recipe!! Thanks so much!
Thanks, I made this and its DELICIOUS . Will be one of my regulars going forward. 😋😊
Angie- Thanks so much for the great rating and feedback. This warmer weather is perfect for pasta salads for light meals.
Hi, is it a 1/4 c of mayo or 1 and 1/4. Confused by the “+”. Thank you 😊
Hi Angie- Thank you for letting me know about that typo. It should be 1/4 cup.
Hey there~ I read thru all the recipes your wrote here and I think they are all great. I’m currently eye’ing the Spaghetti Pasta Salad. However, for the vinegar, I will try use cane vinegar as it has a milder taste than cider.