7 Delicious Vegan Pasta Salad Recipes

Posted on June 7, 2024

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There are so many vegan pasta salad recipes to choose from, and it can be hard to decide on the right one. So below, we have outsourced ONLY the best and most popular ones worth trying.

I’m talking about a vegan pasta salad satisfyingly full of flavor, dairy-free and gluten-free.

I’ve created most of these vegan pasta salad recipes with the intent of helping you to enjoy your protein-rich salad without worrying about the alfredo sauce and cheese.

Instead, you can get creative, work with what you’ve got, and make something delicious that will go well with a wide range of foods.

Table of Contents

What Is Vegan Pasta Salad?

Vegan pasta salad is a healthy, plant-based alternative to the classic Italian dish. This salad is a simple and delicious combination of pasta, veggies, and a vegan dressing.

You can use whatever kind of pasta you like—macaroni, penne, bow ties—and it’s easy to customize the level of spiciness or saltiness of your dish by adding different types of pasta or tomato sauce.

If you want to add some protein to your pasta salad, you need some tofu or tempeh. This will add an extra protein boost without making the dish too heavy!

7 Best Vegan Pasta Salad Recipes

1. Spicy Vegan Peanut Pasta Salad

This salad bursts with flavor and texture. The pasta is crunchy and delicious, but the peanut butter adds an extra layer of flavor and richness, making this a memorable dish.

It’s got pasta, peanuts, and veggies. That’s it.

This salad has a kicky peanut sauce that adds just enough spice to keep things interesting, but not so much that you can’t eat more than one helping.

The dressing is made with a simple cashew cream base seasoned with garlic and shallots, adding extra flavor without too much fat.

This is what you need for this recipe:

Dressing:

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
One tablespoon of olive oil
½ cup chunky peanut butter
One tablespoon ginger, minced
Three cloves of garlic, minced
Two tablespoons of brown sugar
Two tablespoon sriracha sauce
One tablespoon of sesame seeds
¼ cup water

Salad:

4-6 cups cooked spaghetti noodles
1 cup grated carrots
One cucumber chopped
One red bell pepper. Slice them into thin strips
½ cup green onion, sliced
½ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Garnish:

cilantro sprigs
unsalted peanuts

Make you you have all of these ingredient checks.

Then whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame seeds, brown sugar, minced ginger, garlic, and sriracha sauce in a medium-sized bowl.

Gradually add enough water to achieve desired consistency; the result should be a thick glaze with small visible chunks of ginger and garlic dispersed throughout (the mixture will thicken as it sits).

Mix cooked and cooled pasta with your sliced cilantro, vegetables, and peanuts. Then pour the dressing over the pasta and mix vigorously. And enjoy!

2. Pasta and Pea Salad

Pasta and Pea Salad is an Italian-inspired dish that celebrates the simple pleasures of fresh, seasonal produce.

The dish is best when made with fresh peas, but frozen peas can be used instead. Pasta is the perfect base for this salad—it’s easy to prepare and well-balanced in flavor, texture, and color.

The combination of pasta and peas provides a great contrast of textures, from the tender pasta to the crunchy peas. This salad is an excellent side dish for grilled chicken, fish, and other meats or seafood dishes. It also makes a great vegetarian meal option.

To make this recipe, cook your favorite pasta according to the package directions (usually between 6-8 minutes). While pasta cooks, boil or steam some fresh peas until tender but still firm (about 2-3 minutes).

Add cooked peas to cooled cooked pasta along with chopped basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish if desired; stir until combined well before serving!

3. Vegan Mexican Pasta Salad

This vegan pasta salad is the perfect way to kick off a summer night! This salad is loaded with fresh corn, black beans, and carrots, all tossed in a tangy cilantro lime dressing that’ll have you returning for more.

It’s so easy to make—just toss everything together in a bowl and serve!

Let me show you how. But first, you need the following ingredients intact:

Eight oz uncooked pasta
Three to four cups of salted water for cooking the pasta
One large tomato, diced
½ bunch cilantro. Remove the stems and choThree
Three green onions, diced
1 15-oz can of black beans
One 15-oz can of corn kernels
1-2 tablespoons lime juice (optional)

For the vegan dressing:

½ cup vegan sour cream
One teaspoon of ground cumin
½ cup salsa
¼ cup vegan mayo
One teaspoon of chili powder or more
One teaspoon of dried oregano
One jalapeño. Remove the seeds before finely diced
¼ – ½ tsp or Salt and pepper or more

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit for a while.

As it sits, start cooking the paste according to the description.

Drain it and set it aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the pasta salad alongside the cooked paste and stir in the dressing.

Mix vigorously and season with lime juice, salt, and pepper, if you choose.

You can decide to chill it or serve it immediately.

4. Potato And Artichoke Heart Pasta Salad

This is an excellent salad for people trying to eat more vegetables because it has so many good healthy things.

This Potato and Artichoke Heart Pasta Salad is a nutritious and delicious way to kick off your week. The combination of parmesan cheese, artichokes, and creamy white beans make a hearty dish perfect for a cold winter.

Moreover, you can even use vegan cheese if you don’t want to use dairy.

5. Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad

This Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad is the perfect summer meal! It’s so refreshing, and it’s got a little bit of everything: fresh fruit, veggies, protein, and healthy fats.

This salad is excellent for picnics and barbecues, but it’s also good for potlucks or parties because it can feed a crowd!

The pasta salad is made with simple ingredients like strawberries, avocado, and romaine lettuce. The dressing comprises several ingredients: lemon juice, olive oil, honey (or agave), salt, and pepper.

It’s so simple to make—just toss all the ingredients together in a bowl! Recipe below!

6. Coleslaw Orzo Salad

Orzo salad is the perfect summertime meal because it’s easy to make, requires only a few ingredients, and a 4-quart pot for cooking orzo, measuring spoons, and cups, as well as a large skillet for toasting almonds (optional).

More importantly, it is guaranteed to please your whole family. The dressing is made from mayonnaise and yogurt, staples you probably already have in your kitchen.

I used orzo pasta in this recipe because it’s one of my favorite types of pasta. It has a great texture and cooks up quickly, so you can enjoy this salad before dinner is ready!

These are the following ingredient needed for this recipe:

For The Orzo Slaw

1 cup orzo uncooked
water for cooking orzo
salt for cooking orzo
⅓ cup slivered almonds
3 cups coleslaw mix
Two scallions chopped
⅓ cup dried cranberries

Orange Dressing

¼ cup orange juice
One tablespoon of honey or agave nectar
One tablespoon of rice vinegar
One tablespoon of olive oil
One teaspoon of yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
⅛ teaspoon pepper or more
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt or more
¼ teaspoon onion powder
A pinch of red pepper flakes

Cook the orzo according to the package instructions. The drain and rinse under cool running water.

While the orzo cooks, prepare the dressing: Combine all its ingredients in a large bowl and mix. You add salt or pepper again if required.

While the orzo is cooking, toss the coleslaw with dressing.

Dice the scallions while you toast the almonds in the skillet over medium heat until they start to turn golden brown.

Now is the perfect time to add your orzo to the coleslaw and dressing.

Afterward, add the almonds, scallions, and dried cranberries to the bowl.

Add extra salt and pepper to taste. Top with additional chopped scallions or almonds, if desired, before serving.

7. Vegan Couscous Salad With Chickpeas

It’s the middle of summer, and we’re already getting cold.

It’s time to bring back the heat! This vegan couscous salad with chickpeas is a perfect way to stay warm and healthy.

This recipe includes marinated chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and a delicious dressing.

It’s got the nice crunch from the chickpeas, but it also has the creaminess you’d expect from a couscous salad.

The salad can be served warm or cold, depending on your preference.

Conclusion

Pasta salad recipes can be a little tricky to make. There are so many different ingredients and ways to prepare it that there’s no way you’ll never get bored.

But this vegan pasta salad recipe is beneficial because it is your guide for what ingredients to use.

You don’t have to think about cooking the ingredients or trying different preparation methods. An expert in vegan cooking has made this recipe, so you can be assured that it will be delicious.