Vegan Pasta Salad (Dairy-Free Dressing)
Vegan Pasta Salad with chickpeas, olives, lots of fresh veggies, and a creamy Vegan-friendly non-dairy yogurt dressing.
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 323kcal
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
Many brands offer dairy-free yogurts made from various plant-based milk alternatives such as almond, coconut, soy, and cashew milk. Here's a list of some popular brands that have been known to produce dairy-free yogurts:
- 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
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 502mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 780IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg