This post may feature affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This vegan pasta salad is packed with a medley of flavors, textures, and colors that will leave you wanting more! Featuring ingredients like fusilli, cherry tomatoes, olives, and vegan feta cheese, it’s a vibrant and satisfying summer meal. Serve it chilled as a side dish or a light lunch, and watch it disappear in no time!
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Bursting with flavor: The combination of fresh vegetables, tangy dressing, and savory vegan cheese creates an unforgettable dish.
- Easy to make: Vegan pasta salad is simple to prepare, making it great for both experienced cooks and kitchen newbies.
- Crowd-pleaser: This recipe is always a hit at picnics, potlucks, or family gatherings, and it’s suitable for vegans and non-vegans alike.
- Great for meal prep: You can make a large batch of dairy-free pasta salad and enjoy it throughout the week for a quick and nutritious lunch option.
If you love this vegan pasta salad as much as we do, you should really check out our vegan chickpea salad, sweet potato salad, tomato cucumber salad, and couscous salad.
🍝 Easy peasy vegan pasta salad
Who loves pasta salad?! If the answer is yes (as it should be), you are going to love our plant-based spin on a classic. We’ve loaded this vegan pasta salad with an abundance of fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, vegan feta cheese, and freshly-cooked fusilli.
Bringing everything together is one of our favorite homemade vinaigrette recipes, showcasing extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and Italian herbs. The contrast of textures, from the tender pasta to the crunchy veggies and salty, creamy cheese, is out of this world!
Prepare a batch for summer gatherings, parties, or barbecues — it’s so simple, yet everyone always raves about it! Be sure to serve it chilled, allowing the flavors time to meld together perfectly.
🌱 Is pasta salad vegan?
Traditional pasta salad recipes include ingredients like cheese, meat, and sometimes mayo or eggs. However, it’s incredibly simple to make a vegan pasta salad just by swapping a few ingredients.
For this recipe, we decided to leave out the salami that is usually found in pasta salad, but you can easily add vegan pepperoni or salami. Instead of regular feta or cheese, crumble in some vegan feta cheese (store-bought or homemade).
We’re being serious here, you could serve this recipe to a large group and no one would think it was vegan. It’s just delicious!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Fusilli: The coil shape of fusilli provides the perfect canvas to catch dressing and other flavors. If you don’t have fusilli, any short pasta will work, like penne, farfalle, or rotini. Just double-check that the ingredient list doesn’t contain eggs.
- Cherry tomatoes: Add a burst of juiciness and vibrant color. No cherry tomatoes? Substitute grape tomatoes, diced Roma tomatoes, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Red onion: Provides a sharp, slightly sweet flavor and a pop of color. You can also use shallots or green onions for a milder flavor.
- Kalamata: Creates a salty, briny, highly addicting element in the salad. Green olives make a good choice, or try sun-dried olives if you can find them!
- Pepperoncini: Offers a tangy, mildly spicy kick that takes this salad to the next level. Try pickled jalapeños or any spicy chiles for varying levels of heat.
- Parsley: Adds a fresh, peppery, slightly earthy element. Feel free to use other herbs, like cilantro, basil, or mint, instead.
- Vegan feta cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor and a creamy, rich texture. If you don’t have vegan feta cheese, try mozzarella, Parmesan, or cheddar.
- White wine vinegar: Provides acidity, tang, and slight sweetness to the dressing. Our preferred choice is white wine vinegar, but red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar can be used as well.
- Olive oil: Gives the dressing a smooth, velvety texture and taste. Use quality extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil if you don’t have olive oil.
- Cane sugar: Lightly sweetens the dressing, balancing the acidity and savoriness. You can also use a liquid sweetener like agave syrup.
- Garlic: Adds a punch of savory, zesty flavors to the dressing. Garlic powder works in a pinch. Use about ¼-teaspoon for every fresh clove.
- Seasonings: To amplify the dressing, we love to add Italian seasoning, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes. You can also use individual herbs, like basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan pasta salad
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Cook your pasta of choice according to the package instructions or until al dente. We recommend starting to check the pasta about 2-3 minutes before the package states. You’ll know it’s al dente when it is tender but still has a slight chew.
We don’t usually recommend rinsing pasta, but for pasta salad, it’s all good! Rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking process and help cool it down.
Step 2: Make the dressing
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small container or mason jar. Make sure to taste-test the dressing to adjust it to your preferences.
Step 3: Assemble the salad
Combine the pasta, veggies, vegan cheese, and vegan salami or pepperoni if you’re using it. Toss the salad with the dressing until it is well-coated.
Step 4: Chill and serve
You can eat it right away, but we recommend refrigerating your dairy-free pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving it for the best flavor. Give it a good stir and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan pasta salad recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🥗 What to serve with vegan pasta salad
If you’re looking for ideas on what to serve alongside your dairy-free pasta salad, try some of these other summer classics:
- Vegan macaroni salad
- Sourdough bread
- Cactus salad
- Kale Caesar salad
- Dairy-free bread
- Vegan potato salad
- Vegan garlic bread
🌡️ Storage & reheating
If you end up with leftover vegan pasta salad or want to meal prep it, keep these storage tips in mind:
- Fridge: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: We don’t recommend freezing this dairy-free pasta salad since the vegetables, feta, and pasta will turn mushy once thawed.
- Prep ahead: Make the salad up to a day or two in advance and let it chill in the fridge for the most balanced flavors.
♻️ Variations
- Mediterranean: Add artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and capers.
- Southwestern: Mix in black beans, corn, and avocado, and replace Italian seasoning with cumin and ancho chile powder. You can even toss the pasta in adobo sauce for a smoky finish.
- Asian: Swap the pasta for soba noodles, use rice vinegar in the dressing, and add edamame and sesame seeds.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta if you have gluten sensitivities or allergies.
- Spicy: Add a diced fresh jalapeño or a dash of hot sauce to the dressing.
- Creamy: Replace part of the oil with vegan mayo, cashew crema, or yogurt.
- Nutty: Add toasted walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, hemp hearts, or almonds.
- Protein boost: Add cooked chickpeas, vegan chicken, lentils, vegan pepperoni, vegan salami, or pan-fried tofu.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Al dente pasta: Remember to start checking the pasta a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking it. It will continue to soften as it’s mixed with the dressing.
- Cool the pasta: Rinse the pasta in cold water and allow it to cool before assembling the salad to prevent wilting the veggies or melting the vegan cheese.
- Adjust the dressing: Taste and adjust the sauce to your preference, adding more salt, sugar, or red pepper flakes as you see fit.
- Chill before serving: Leave enough time to chill the salad for at least 30 minutes, as this allows the flavors to develop and meld together.
- Stir before serving: Give the salad a good stir before serving it to redistribute the dressing and mix-ins.
- Make some extra dressing: If you’re planning on keeping the salad for a few days, make extra dressing to refresh it when you’re ready to serve.
💬 FAQ
Of course! If you don’t have time or don’t want to make a dressing, just use any store-bought Italian or vinaigrette dressing you prefer. Double-check the label to ensure it contains vegan-friendly ingredients.
Definitely! If you want to increase the protein content in this vegan pasta salad, add vegan salami or pepperoni, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, or vegan chicken. You can even try using high-protein pasta made from legumes.
Yes, you can use fresh pasta for this recipe. Just check to ensure it’s not made with eggs.
🍴 More easy dishes
If you enjoyed this vegan pasta salad, take a peek at some more quick and easy vegan recipes like these:
- Vegan Tuna: Chickpea salad that emulates the textures of traditional tuna salad.
- Dairy-free Mac and Cheese: Mac and cheese made vegan-friendly.
- Calabacitas: Mexican squash mixed with cheese and vegetables.
- Air Fryer Eggplant: A crispy eggplant recipe prepared in the air fryer.
Best Vegan Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large stockpot
- Whisk
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Salad
- 14 oz fusilli (or other short pasta)
- ½ small red onion (finely diced)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ¾ cup Kalamata or black olives (halved)
- ½ cup pepperoncini (roughly chopped)
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
- 6 ounces vegan feta cheese (crumbled or cubed)
- 1 pound vegan salami or pepperoni (thinly sliced optional)
Dressing
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1-2 teaspoons cane sugar to taste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or ½ tsp each of dried basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously, then cook the fusilli according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables and parsley, and crumble or cube the vegan feta cheese. If you’re adding vegan pepperoni, slice or cube it.
Dressing
- In a small bowl mason jar, whisk or shake together the vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, cane sugar, sea salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Adjust the red pepper flakes and cane sugar to taste.
Assembly
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta with the mix-ins. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until combined.
- For the best flavor, cover the salad and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Before serving, toss the salad once more and adjust any seasonings. Garnish with extra herbs or feta. Happy eating!
Notes
- Al dente pasta: Remember to start checking the pasta a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking it. It will continue to soften as it’s mixed with the dressing.
- Cool the pasta: Rinse the pasta in cold water and allow it to cool before assembling the salad to prevent wilting the veggies or melting the vegan cheese.
- Adjust the dressing: Taste and adjust the sauce to your preference, adding more salt, sugar, or red pepper flakes as you see fit.
- Chill before serving: Leave enough time to chill the salad for at least 30 minutes, as this allows the flavors to develop and meld together.
- Stir before serving: Give the salad a good stir before serving it to redistribute the dressing and mix-ins.
- Make some extra dressing: If you’re planning on keeping the salad for a few days, make extra dressing to refresh it when you’re ready to serve.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
