This easy vegan pasta salad recipe is so delicious and perfect for summer. With plenty of fresh veggies and an easy homemade dressing, this is the ideal dish for your next packed lunch, picnic, cookout or BBQ!
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One of our favourite things to eat is pasta! We have it several times a week. From vegan spaghetti bolognese and carbonara to tahini pasta or miso pasta, we just can't get enough of this Italian staple food.
So we took inspiration from the home of pasta to create this Italian-inspired vegan pasta salad. It's full of colour, plenty of fresh veggies and Mediterranean flavours that work so well together.
This cold pasta salad is so easy to make and can be customised with different vegetables of your choice. The homemade dressing has just a few simple ingredients. It's a tangy, herby and moreish vinaigrette that creates a delicious marinade for the pasta and veggies.
We also like to throw in some antipasti, in this case marinated artichoke hearts, which we think add that little extra to take this pasta salad to a higher level.
This pasta salad actually gets better as it marinates in the dressing over time. So it's perfect to keep in the fridge and graze on it for a couple of days, bring it to a BBQ or picnic, and use leftovers as a packed lunch.
The next time you get those pasta cravings but also crave a refreshing summer salad, this vegan pasta salad will satisfy both!
Ingredient tips
Pasta: Choose a dried short pasta such as rotini, fusilli or penne that doesn't contain eggs. Use tricolore pasta to make it extra pretty!
Cherry tomatoes: These have a more intense flavour than larger tomatoes and bring a sweet note to the dish.
Bell pepper: We prefer to use yellow, orange or red bell peppers because they are more sweet and nutritious. Green bell peppers are more bitter.
Zucchini aka courgette: We like to use zucchini rather than the more traditional cucumber which can create a soggy salad. We recommend slicing the raw zucchini thinly for best results.
Artichoke hearts: Choose ones that are marinated or packed in oil for the best flavour. Canned or brined artichokes can be sour.
Pine nuts: These add a delicious crunch and nuttiness to the salad.
Vegan parmesan: You want a really firm, parmesan/Grana Padano style vegan cheese. Alternatively, you can also use our tasty homemade vegan parmesan cheese.
Olive oil: Extra virgin is perfect for use in salads.
Lemon juice or vinegar - also see variations and substitutions.
Dried oregano, mixed herbs, fresh garlic, sea salt and some dried chili flakes complete the dressing.
Step-by-step pictures
Here's a visual step-by-step guide to making this vegan pasta salad. Find the complete, fully adjustable recipe in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, or according to package instructions. After draining, rinse the pasta in cold water to cool it down, and drain well again.
Step 2 - Wash and chop or slice the fresh vegetables and basil.
Step 3 - Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl: Olive oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), salt, dried herbs, chilli flakes and pressed garlic.
Step 4 - Toast the pine nuts in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Step 5 - In a large bowl, mix together the cooked pasta, veggies, basil, artichokes (or other antipasti), grated vegan parmesan, toasted pine nuts and the prepared salad dressing.
Variations and substitutions
It's fairly easy to mix up the veg in this pasta salad. We like to keep a variety of colours and textures. Sliced red onion or sugar snap peas (when in season) are great options.
Why not add some extra fresh herbs in addition or as an alternative to basil, for example, fresh parsley?
Other types of pasta that lend themselves to pasta salad include bow ties and macaroni.
You can easily make a gluten-free pasta salad by using gluten-free pasta.
Instead of the artichokes, use other antipasti like sundried tomatoes, black olives or a vegan feta alternative.
Looking for a protein boost? White beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans / chickpeas can make a great addition to pasta salad. You can also up the protein by using chickpea pasta.
Instead of pine nuts, you can use chopped almonds, cashews or pistachios. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds also work.
Use white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. To keep it vegan, make sure to check the label to make sure it's suitable for vegans, as many wine vinegars are not. The same goes for red wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar are safe alternatives. Balsamic vinegar has a slightly sweet flavour that's less subtle.
Storage
We think the pasta salad actually gets even better when allowed to steep in the dressing in the fridge before serving the next day. You can add more fresh basil and grated vegan parmesan at the time of serving.
Keep the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge and use it up within three days.
More vegan summer recipes
We think you might also enjoy these other refreshing vegan recipes for summer:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups (8 oz / 225 g) dried fusilli, rotini or penne
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ (1 cup / 100 g ) zucchini / courgette halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (5 g) basil loosely packed
- 4 (120 g) artichoke hearts in oil, quartered
- ¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts toasted
- ¼ cup (20 g) vegan parmesan
Dressing
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp herbes de provence or Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes chilli flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of well salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse it in cold water and set aside.3 cups (8 oz / 225 g) dried fusilli, rotini or penne
- In the meantime, you can prepare the rest of the salad. Dice the pepper, halve the tomatoes, halve and thinly slice the zucchini into half moons. Chop the basil and quarter the artichokes.1 yellow bell pepper, 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, ½ (1 cup / 100 g ) zucchini / courgette, ¼ cup (5 g) basil, 4 (120 g) artichoke hearts
- In a small bowl or jar, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and stir or shake to combine.¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp herbes de provence or Italian seasoning, 2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- In a saucepan or skillet, toast the pine nuts on medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently until golden brown. Watch them carefully so you don't accidentally burn them.¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts
- In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, all the vegetables, artichoke hearts, chopped basil, vegan parmesan and pine nuts. Pour the dressing over the bowl and stir to combine. Let the pasta salad marinate in the dressing for a while, or overnight in the fridge, and soak up the flavours of the dressing.¼ cup (20 g) vegan parmesan
Notes
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
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