With vibrant Mediterranean flavors and a bright lemony dressing, this crowd-pleasing healthy vegan pasta salad is sure to be a hit at your next picnic!
Why you’ll love this recipe
This salad is a lighter take on traditional pasta salad. With an oil-free dressing, it is less greasy and has a brighter flavor profile than your standard picnic fare. It comes together quickly and keeps well, making it an ideal dish to share at picnics, parties, and other get-togethers.
Ingredients
For the salad, you’ll need:
- Short pasta (either chickpea or whole-grain): Rotini or other spiral shapes work especially well because the grooves will help soak up the dressing.
- Grape tomatoes: When halved or quartered, these are just the right size for this salad. Cherry tomatoes, which are a little larger, may also be used instead, but they can be a little more liquidy than grape tomatoes when sliced. Tomatoes are an awesome source of antioxidants, particularly lycopene.
- English cucumber: These are the long cucumbers that usually are wrapped in plastic. They have thinner skin, a slightly sweeter taste, and fewer seeds than American cucumbers. Because the skin is thin and edible, you do not need to peel them before using.
- Artichoke hearts: I used canned artichoke hearts. If available, choose quartered canned artichoke hearts to cut down on prep time. Artichoke hearts are a good source of potassium, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
- Kalamata olives: Olives are high in sodium, so are best used in moderation. They contain a high amount of oleic acid, which supports heart health. Other notable nutrients include vitamin E (which helps prevent cell damage) and iron, copper, and calcium (which help maintain healthy bones and good circulation).
- Red onion: Adds color to the salad. A good source of quercetin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
To make the dressing, you’ll need:
- Red wine vinegar: Brings an assertive, slightly fruity tang to the dressing.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a subtle cheesy flavor and B vitamins.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: Rounds out the dressing with bright citrus flavor.
- Dijon mustard: Unlike yellow mustard, Dijon mustard gets its flavor from white wine. It has a more intense, robust flavor than yellow mustard, making it a good choice for dressings.
- Garlic powder: An easy way to enhance the flavor. Benefits include maintaining healthy blood pressure.
- Dried basil: Basil is a seasoning common in Mediterranean cuisine. Among other nutrients, dried basil leaves contain vitamin K, which supports bone strength.
- Dried oregano: Even a small pinch of direct oregano contains fantastic health benefits, including immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (or cook it in an Instant Pot). When it is done cooking and has reached al dente consistency (i.e., with some bite to it; not limp and soggy), drain it and run it under cold water until it is cool. Set it aside.
While the pasta is cooking, grab a large bowl (you’ll eventually be adding the cooked pasta and other ingredients, so make sure it is big enough) and prepare the dressing. Add to the bowl the red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano and whisk until combined.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, artichoke hearts, olives, and red onion to the large bowl and stir until they are coated with the dressing. Let these ingredients marinate in the dressing for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will help the ingredients absorb the flavor.
Finally, add the cooked pasta to the bowl and stir it well to combine.
If possible, serve it chilled. If chilling is not an option, don’t worry—it’s still delicious at room temperature.
Healthy Vegan Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of about 1 medium lemon)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salad
- 8 ounces chickpea or whole-grain short pasta (e.g., rotini, penne, farfalle)
- 8 ounces grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1½ cups English cucumber diced (about half a large cucumber)
- ½ cup canned artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives sliced in half if large
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
Instructions
- Make the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold water until chilled.
- Make the dressing: While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano until combined.
- Marinate the toppings: Add the tomatoes, cucumber, artichoke hearts, olives, and red onion to the large bowl. Stir until coated with the dressing. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to marinate, stirring occasionally.
- Add the pasta: Add the pasta to the large bowl and stir well to combine. Serve at room temperature or, ideally, chilled (see Note).
Notes
- Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for about 3 days.
- If you have time, make this in salad in advance and let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving. The ingredients will soak up the dressing and make the salad even more flavorful.
- For extra protein, stir in some cannellini beans or cubed tofu; both work well in this dish.
