Quick and easy to make, this vegan pasta salad has bright and fresh flavors that’s perfect for a summertime side dish or potluck gathering! This chilled pasta salad is made with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives, red onion, and parsley then tossed with a flavorful Italian-style dressing that whips up in minutes. This is my go-to summer potluck dish but I also love eating a big bowl of this pasta salad on it’s own as well!
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook the pasta! Set a timer and keep a close eye on the pasta, testing noodles once it gets close to being done. Nothing ruins a good pasta dish faster than mushy pasta!
- Rinse cooked pasta with cold water thoroughly after cooking to cool it down immediately so it doesn’t continue to soften.
- Chill dish for 30 minutes before serving. This is totally optional, but I personally think it’s extra tasty when it’s a chilled.
Variations
Pasta – I like using either spirals (fusilli) or bow ties (farfalle), but other variations can work as well!
Veggies – Feel free to mix up the veggies! Green peas, (finely chopped) broccoli or cauliflower, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or zucchini can also work.
Olives – Green olives work great in place of black olives. If using kalamata olives, they have a stronger flavor so add slowly to-taste.
Herbs – Option to swap the parsley for finely chopped basil instead.
Vinegar – My favorite is white balsamic vinegar for this dish but you can also use champagne vinegar or lemon juice. For lemon juice, start with 2 Tbsp and go from there.
Sugar – No maple syrup? You can use white sugar instead, but start with ½ tsp and add more to-taste.
How to make Vegan Pasta Salad
Step 1: Measure out 16 oz of pasta (I like to use spirals or bow ties). On high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook according to package directions (being careful to not overcook) then strain water using a colander in the sink. Rinse pasta with cold water until cool.
Step 2: To make the dressing, add to a medium sized bowl:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Then whisk to combine.
Step 3: Prep and chop the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and parsley.
Step 4: Place cooked and cooled pasta in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top, stirring until evenly coated. Then add all the chopped ingredients and mix to combine. Taste, adding anything more it may need.
Pasta salad can be served immediately or covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Did you enjoy this Vegan Pasta Salad?! Leave a star rating and comment below, I love to hear from my readers out there! 💫
Vegan Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Medium sized bowl
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 16 oz pasta (spirals or bow ties are my favorite)
- ½ of a large cucumber, sliced then quartered
- ½ of a bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 5 oz black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- On high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then add 16 oz pasta. Cook according to package directions, then strain water using a colander in the sink. Rinse pasta with cold water until cool.
- While pasta is cooking, prep and chop the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and parsley.
- To make the dressing, add everything under "dressing" in a medium sized bowl and whisk until combined.
- Place cooked and cooled pasta in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top, stirring until evenly coated. Then add all the chopped ingredients and mix to combine. Taste, adding anything more it may need. Can be served immediately or covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
