Vegan Pasta Salad
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This quick and easy vegan pasta salad, full of chopped vegetables and a light, refreshing dressing, is perfect for parties and potlucks.
Different from traditional zesty pasta salads that smother ingredients with Italian dressing, this summer BBQ favorite is instead made with a yogurt and mustard base.
Why is this the Best TikTok Pasta Salad Recipe?
Makes in Advance: Like most classic pasta salad recipes in the same family, this dish tastes even better the next day when the flavors can melt together overnight.
Serves a crowd. Just like potato salad and macaroni salad, this pasta salad dish serves a large number of people and is easy to cut in half or double!
Can Be Vegan…or not. There are so many different dairy-free options at stores now. To keep this one vegan, make sure to use DAIRY-FREE yogurt. However, if you just want a delicious pasta salad and no need for vegan option, any Greek Yogurt option will do.
Ingredients:
- Rotini pasta: cook according to package instructions, completely cool (rinse with cold water), and drain excess pasta water.
- Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Fresh vegetables: red pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes (our preference is cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or Roma), celery, and red onion.
- Black olives
- Dressing: fresh dill, plain dairy-free yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard.
- Seasonings: dry parsley, kosher salt, dry dill, onion powder, and ground black pepper.
How to make Vegan Pasta Salad.
- In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, rinsed chickpeas, chopped red pepper, chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes, chopped celery, chopped red onion, black olives, and fresh dill.
- In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, combine dairy-free yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and season with salt, dry dill, onion powder, and pepper.
- Whisk the homemade dressing well and pour it on the pasta mixture. Stir well to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Variations for this Viral Vegan Salad
Mix up the ingredients – Fresh Vegetables can all be easily chopped and added to your liking.
Delicious pepperoncini peppers, bell peppers, and rinsed and drained black beans can change the cold pasta salad to focus on any flavor you love.
Related Summer Salad Recipes
Our traditional Italian Pasta Salad recipe, complete with Tangy dressing, also includes rotini pasta! You can also sink your teeth into the creamy dressing version – Ranch Pasta Salad.
This Greek Pasta Salad recipe has no pasta in it, making it one of the most guilt-free summer salads ever.
Other unique side dish salad recipes are our Ambrosia salad recipe with cherries and marshmallows, Carrot Salad recipe with Raisins, and our super popular Pea salad recipe with cheese.
Vegan Pasta Salad (Dairy-Free Dressing)
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Rotini Pasta cooked and cooled (rinse with cold water)
- 15 oz. chickpeas canned – drained and rinsed
- 1 cup red pepper chopped, seeds and stem removed
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes or grape/cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup red onion chopped
- ½ cup black olives sliced
Creamy Vegan Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- ½ cup Dairy-Free plain yogurt if not wanting to be vegan, any plain Greek Yogurt will do
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp. dry parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. dried dill
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Rotini Pasta: Follow the package directions to cook the Rotini pasta. Once cooked, drain and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Refer to the instructions provided next to each ingredient and chop or slice the vegetables as directed.
- Combine the Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold, cooked pasta with rinsed chickpeas, chopped red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, celery, red onion, sliced black olives, and fresh dill. Toss well to mix.
- Make the Vegan Dressing: In a separate, smaller bowl, mix together dairy-free yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, dry dill, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the vegan dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve or Refrigerate: You can serve the vegan pasta salad immediately for a fresh taste, or cover it and refrigerate until you're ready to enjoy it. The flavors will continue to meld in the fridge, enhancing the taste.
Notes
- Silk: Offers a variety of flavors in almond, soy, and oat-based yogurts.
- So Delicious: Specializes in coconut milk-based yogurts.
- Chobani: Their “Non-Dairy Chobani” line includes coconut-based options.
- Kite Hill: Known for their almond milk-based yogurts.
- Oatly: Provides oat milk-based yogurt alternatives.
- Stonyfield Organic: Their “Dairy-Free Stonyfield” includes a variety of plant-based yogurts.
How to store Vegan Pasta Salad:
- Use an Airtight Container: Transfer the vegan pasta salad into an airtight container. This will help preserve the freshness and prevent it from absorbing any odors from the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate: Place the airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best to consume the salad within 3-5 days for optimal freshness.
- Consider Portioning: If you know you’ll be eating the salad over several days, you might want to store it in individual serving-size containers. This way, you can take out and enjoy one portion at a time without exposing the entire salad to air repeatedly.
- Avoid Freezing: Pasta salads with fresh vegetables and dressings are best enjoyed fresh and don’t tend to freeze well. The texture of the vegetables and pasta can change, becoming mushy once thawed.
- Stir Before Serving: If the salad has been in the refrigerator for a while, give it a good stir before serving. The dressing might settle at the bottom, so mixing it will redistribute the flavors.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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