Author: This Easy Vegan Pasta Salad recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, is loaded with fresh vegetables, olives, and artichokes, and is tossed with the best Italian-inspired, 5-minute homemade pasta salad dressing! Perfect for BBQs, picnics, or potlucks, this will be your new go-to recipe this summer!! 😋🥗
Who doesn't love a good pasta salad? My creamy vegan macaroni salad has been a fan-favorite for years, but this summer, I'm adding a new favorite: this Italian-inspired easy vegan pasta salad. This cold pasta salad comes together in under 30 minutes and is also perfect for meal prep. I love the fresh crunch of veggies, the briny marinated artichokes and olives, all tossed in a herby lemon vinaigrette that truly makes this easy pasta salad better than any I've had before! Make it ahead of time and you'll have a rockstar salad ready and waiting for you at lunchtime, dinner, or your next summer party!
Make-ahead tip: If preparing the pasta salad ahead of time, note that the dressing can be absorbed by the pasta. While day-old pasta salad is still wonderful, for the best texture and flavor, I prefer storing the dressing separately in the fridge and tossing it with the pasta and veggies up to 2 hours before serving.
Serving Suggestions: This salad is a great side dish served with grilled vegetables, crusty bread, or a light white wine. It's versatile enough to be a main dish or a hearty side.
Storage Tips: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the pasta absorbs too much dressing, simply add a little more lemon juice and olive oil before serving to refresh the flavors.
I hope you enjoy making and eating this pasta salad as much as I do! Feel free to leave comments about your own variations or ask any questions below. Happy cooking!
Ingredients:
- Pasta: For this classic pasta salad, I love using short pasta like fusilli, penne, rigatoni, or bowties (farfalle). Feel free to use gluten-free pasta such, brown rice pasta is my preferred kind.
- Marinated artichokes: artichoke hearts are my secret ingredient that really gives the salad that wow factor.
- Cucumber: I use chopped English cucumber, but baby cucumbers would also work.
- Grape or cherry tomatoes: I used red ones, but a mix of yellow, orange, and red cherry tomatoes would also be cute.
- Bell pepper: You can use any color (red, orange, yellow, or green); this time I used orange.
- Kalamata or black olives: I used whole pitted olives, but sliced olives would also work well.
- Red onion: I used fresh red onion, but pickled red onions would also be lovely.
- Fresh parsley: For a bit of freshness.
Other options: I put my favorite combo of ingredients in this recipe, but feel free to play around with the vegetables and use what you have on hand. Lightly steamed and cooled broccoli, thinly sliced zucchini, shredded carrots, fresh spinach, fresh basil, or other fresh herbs, thinly sliced radishes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, or black beans would all be nice options. You can also top the salad with toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, vegan feta, or vegan parmesan.
How to Make Easy Vegan Pasta Salad:
To make the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it well with cold water to cool it down. In the meantime prep the vegetables and prepare the dressing.
To make the dressing: in a small bowl or measuring glass, combine all the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or agave, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Whisk well to mix.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled and drained pasta with the chopped vegetables, artichokes, olives, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together until well combined. Serve the pasta salad fresh or within a few hours for the best flavor.
This Pasta Salad is...
- quick and easy to make
- the perfect make-ahead dish
- my go-to for summer BBQs or picnics
Serve this Easy Vegan Pasta Salad alongside:
The Best Vegan Seitan Burger
Easy Vegan Macaroni Salad
Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages
Easy Vegan Potato Salad
Vegan Salmon
Easy Vegan Coleslaw
Quick & Easy BBQ Tofu
The Best Cowboy Caviar
If you try this easy vegan pasta salad recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Easy Vegan Pasta Salad
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad:
- 14.5 oz/ 410g short pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or bowties (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 6 fl oz/ 170ml jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped (¾ cup)
- ½ English cucumber, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (2 cups)
- 1 bell pepper, (any color) chopped
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- ¼ red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
For the Italian Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil, (see notes for oil-free)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, (1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, (optional for spice)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it well with cold water to cool it down.
- In the meantime prep the vegetables and prepare the dressing.To make the dressing: in a small bowl or measuring glass, combine all the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or agave, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Whisk well to mix.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled and drained pasta with the chopped vegetables, artichokes, olives, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together until well combined. Serve the pasta salad fresh or within a few hours for the best flavor.
- Make-ahead tip: If preparing the pasta salad ahead of time, note that the dressing can be absorbed by the pasta. While day-old pasta salad is still wonderful, for the best texture and flavor, I prefer storing the dressing separately and tossing it with the pasta and vegetables up to 2 hours before serving.Storage Tips: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the pasta absorbs too much dressing, simply add a little more lemon juice and olive oil before serving to refresh the flavors.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕More Summery Salads and Sides...
Kay Pea says
I am not vegan, but my roommate is. So, sometimes I try to prepare food that the both of us can enjoy. I came across this recipe because I was gifted several boxes of bowtie noodles.
As is, the recipe needs more salt and dressing for my taste. I doubled the amount of salt, but next time I would also increase the dressing amount by about 1.5 times. Other than that, this is a winner!
I left out the olives (hate them) and added cannellini beans (for added protein) and sundried tomatoes. The salad is still delicious without these changes, so I didn't factor them into my score.
Thanks for sharing!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Kay! Love your additions, and so glad it worked for both you and your roommate! 😊
Guadalupe says
Very tasty!! I made double the dressing. It was great day of and the next day!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay so happy you enjoyed it, Guadalupe!
Stephanie says
Hello, I’m going to make this as a side dish for a picnic. You think I should double it for 20 people? What are your recommendations for prepping ahead? Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Stephanie! Yes, I’d definitely double the recipe for 20 people, especially if it’s just one of a few side dishes. For prepping ahead, you can chop the veggies and make the dressing the day before, then store everything separately in the fridge. Toss it all together a couple of hours before serving so it stays fresh and vibrant. If the pasta absorbs some of the dressing, just splash in a little extra olive oil and lemon juice right before serving to refresh it. Have fun at your picnic!
Sharon Wickard says
how do you make vegan feta
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sharon, you can find my vegan feta recipe here. Enjoy!
Holly W says
SO delicious that I made it two weeks in a row! 😍 Such an easy meal prep recipe. I added chickpeas and some vegan feta!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So thrilled you love it so much Holly! Thank you for the review 🙂
Diana says
Amazingly delicious! I added the shredded carrots, spinach, basil, sun dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. The left overs came in handy after working very long hard days in the hot desert sun!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it Diana! Leftovers are the best! Thank you for the review! 🙂
R says
Fabulous. thankful for an oil-free version! Did the oil-free version and opted for yogurt. Same servings of the rest of the seasonings, but I put in just the whole cup of yogurt (5.3 oz) cuz I didn't want to measure that haha. then 1-2 tsp of tahini and teeeeensy drop of the oil from the tahini.
Great suggestion to add it!!
Also had to add about 2tsp of the liquid from the garlic jars (only because personally my vanilla yogurt had too much flavor. im sure a truly plain vegan yogurt might turn out different).
didn't end up needing to add additional veggie broth or anything to thin it out, the lemon juice was enough, and the tahini and garlic oils made it just the right pasta salad consistency (for me).
So good!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it R! Thank you for sharing your tweaks 🙂
Mindi says
I used everything in the dressing but pepper flakes. Mixed everything together, no taste. Added more olive oil, mustard and Italian seasoning and still nothing. Tastes like naked noodles with vegetables.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry you didn't care for this one, Mindi! Sounds like maybe there was more pasta to sauce ratio.
Barbra Swanson says
This is a delicious and easy recipe that is a crowd pleaser. So healthy. I did add a few extra diced up veggies but the basic recipe is fantastic all by itself. I’m in Texas so this cool summer salad is a repeat
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! It's a great salad to add extra veg to. I have some additional suggestions in the recipe notes incase you missed that 🙂
Irene says
Made this for myself and a friend to take to a 1 day convention. It was so good and my friend asked for seconds. Will be making this again.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful!! So happy it was a hit 🙂
Suzan Phipps says
I would like to make this salad but I am concerned about the maple syrup and possibly the Dijon mustard. My vegan friends only use organic sugar and I don't know what is used in the maple syrup.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Suzan, Great question! Pure maple syrup is naturally vegan and doesn’t contain any refined sugar. It's simply the concentrated sap from maple trees. If you'd like to be extra cautious, you can always choose a certified organic maple syrup, which ensures no additives or processing agents are used. As for Dijon mustard, most brands are vegan, but it's always a good idea to check the label to make sure there are no animal-derived ingredients like honey or egg yolk. There are also plenty of organic Dijon mustards available if that’s important to your friends. Hope this helps!
Nyah Bay Wyatt says
delicious and refreshing !
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you loved it!
Megan says
Absolutely delicious! Great for the hot summer days!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed Megan 🙂
Darlene Ford says
This was so easy to make. A fun dish and not just for vegans. Pleasing to the eye. Very tasty. Going to make on my vacation for friends!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed Darlene 🙂
Marianne says
Absolutely delicious. You nailed it once again!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That's wonderful! THank you so much for your review Marianne 🙂
Pat Freeman says
This was literally a pantry recipe I ran into the house and whipped up!!!
Thank you, so thrilling!!!!!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So thrilled you loved it 🙂
Mary Lord says
I, too, would like the oil-free recipe. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
It's now in the notes 🙂
KellyE says
I would also love your "oil free" version! Don't see it in the notes??
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry about that! I've added it now 🙂
Kelly says
Thank you so much!!
RonC says
Hi Sam,
This looks like another great recipe. I would like to make the dressing oil-free, but the note about that seems to be missing. What is your suggestion for oil-free dressing?
Thanks !
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry about that! It is now added 🙂
Denice Wilkins says
Sounds yummy! You said there was info re making the dressing oil free in the "notes" but I don't see anything there. Am I blind?
Thanks for all your delicious recipes!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi! Sorry for the delay! I have now added the oil-free option in the notes 🙂