I was at a barbecue recently where they served an antipasto salad. I was really bummed out because among all the delicious things I love about antipasto, like olives, peppers, artichoke hearts, were pieces of meat and cheese. So I couldn’t try it. But I got inspired! All those delicious vegan ingredients would be great in a vegan salad — or better yet, a vegan pasta salad. Let’s face it: pasta salads can be a little boring. Creating a vegan pasta salad in particular requires some special, super flavorful ingredients. I decided I’d found exactly what I needed to create a vegan pasta salad that everyone (not just vegans) would love!
What You’ll Need
Dried pasta. I used rotini, but any smallish pasta shape should work just fine. Try penne, elbow macaroni, or orzo!Olive oil.Balsamic vinegar. Quality matters here. Use a good balsamic that has a thick, syrupy consistency to prevent your dressing from turning out too tart.Red wine vinegar.Garlic.Salt & pepper.Marinated mushrooms. Look for these in jars near the other marinated veggies (like artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers) at your store. If your supermarket has an olive bar you might find them there as well.Kalamata olives. Have another favorite variety of olive? Feel free to substitute it!Marinated artichoke hearts. Preferably use quartered ones, though halves work too.Roasted red peppers.Radicchio. You can substitute red cabbage if your store doesn’t carry this.Fresh parsley.Fresh basil.
How to Make Vegan Pasta Salad
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you’d prefer to skip right to the recipe!
Cook your pasta according to the package directions, then drain it and toss it with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.Mix up your dressing: whisk olive oil, both vinegars, minced garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small cup or bowl. Transfer your cooked pasta to a large bowl and add all of your veggies and herbs: mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives, roasted red peppers, parsley and basil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss it well to distribute the ingredients.
You can serve your pasta salad right away, or cover it up and chill it in the fridge for later.Tip: chilling your pasta salad for at least a few hours will give the flavors a chance to meld.
Shelf Life & Storage
Vegan pasta salad should keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 or 4 days. The exact time it keeps will depend on how fresh your herbs are when you make it!
More Cool Vegan Side Salads
Creamy Cucumber Dill SaladMediterranean Quinoa SaladCreamy Vegan Macaroni SaladVegan Greek Orzo SaladDijon & Herb Potato Salad
Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!
