Easy Vegan Pasta Salad

Ingredients

My Mediterranean-inspired Vegan Pasta Salad relies on mostly pantry ingredients like dried noodles, canned chickpeas, and allium powders. Here's everything you'll need:

While these ingredients are pretty straightforward, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Pasta of Choice - You can use either regular or gluten-free pasta for this recipe. I recommend going with short noodles like farfalle, penne, or rotini; they're just easier to eat with a fork!
• Spinach - Fresh baby spinach leaves are best for this recipe. If you opt for mature spinach, be sure to remove any tough stems and cut or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
• Chickpeas - Popping open a can of chickpeas is one of the fastest ways to incorporate delicious vegan protein to this salad. If you opt for canned beans, be sure to keep the liquid (known as aquafaba) for some tasty vegan bakes! You can also easily make your own cooked chickpeas starting with dried beans instead. If you don't like chickpeas, chose another bean!
• Vegetable Broth - The broth adds a nice kick of flavor and helps keep the pasta moist. If you're short on kitchen space, I highly recommend Better Than Bouillon Veggie Base.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes - These come either packed in oil or dried in a bag. The oil packed ones are more tender from the get-go, but you can always soak the dried tomatoes in your veggie broth to help soften them up. If you don't have sun-dried tomatoes on hand, you can dice up cherry tomatoes to replace them.
• Basil - Look for bright green leaves that do not show blemishes. That is key for fresh delicious basil.
• Kalamata or Black olives - Either variety of olives work in this recipe. Feel free to try them out and see which flavor you prefer. Make sure to pit them before adding them to your pasta salad to protect everyone's teeth.
• Garlic and Onion Powder - These two spices will help to add a few layers of flavor to your pasta mixture.
• Olive Oil - I love heart-healthy olive oil, but you can easily swap in avocado oil instead. You are in control of how much or little you use.

How To Make Vegan Pasta Salad

Simple ingredients and minimal prep is all it takes to make this simple cold pasta salad recipe.

Step 1: Cook Pasta: Start by cooking your pasta as directed on the back of the box.

Step 2: Cook Spinach: Add a bit of water and the vegetable broth to a skillet on the stove. Toss in the spinach to wilt it a bit.

Step 3: Process Veggies: Toss basil and the sun-dried tomatoes in your food processor and pulse to mix it up. You want to chop it up a bit, but not too much. Once chopped, set aside.

Step 4: Prep other Ingredients: Drain and rinse chickpeas and put in a large bowl along with the cooked spinach, olives, and sun-dried tomato & basil mixture.

Step 5: Assemble & Enjoy: When the pasta is done, drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Toss in a bowl, add all the other ingredients. Then toss the pasta salad, and serve!

Variations

I love the Mediterranean flavors in this bright and fresh vegan pasta salad, but I know some of these ingredients (like olives or sun-dried tomatoes) are divisive. Here at V Nutrition and Wellness, we want everyone to enjoy, which is where customization comes into play!

Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Change the greens. Spinach is delicious, but it isn't the only option for this tasty pasta salad. Try swapping in peppery arugula or watercress instead.
• Opt for fresh. If sun-dried tomatoes are a little too umami for you, replace them with some brightly acidic chopped cherry tomatoes instead.
• Add some "cheese." Sun-dried tomatoes and olives are a natural pairing for some yummy vegan feta.
• Swap out the olives. I like having pops of salty, briny olives throughout the pasta to add vibrancy. Other options include chopped pickles or cornichons, pickled peppers or beets, or even capers.
• Change up all the veggies. This vegan pasta salad will work well with any number of veggies. Try adding sautéed zucchini or summer squash, roasted eggplant, fresh corn, sugar snap peas, green beans, or any other summer veg you desire.
• Opt for other herbs. If you don't have basil on hand, consider using other fresh herbs like lemony parsley, anise-scented tarragon, fresh mint, or yummy cilantro.
• Chuck the chickpeas. If garbanzo beans aren't your thing, try using a different kind of bean like cannellini, borlotti, or kidney. You can also get your protein from other sources like my grilled tofu, marinated tofu, tofu crumbles, popcorn tofu, vegan chicken, or tempeh crumbles.

Expert Tips

Making this vegan pasta salad is a snap, but there are a few tips I wanted to share:

• Salt your pasta water. Adding salt to your pasta water is the *only* opportunity you get to season the actual pasta.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Depending on the shape, brand, and ingredients of your noodles, they'll cook differently. Be sure to reference the packaging they came in and shoot for a perfect al dente texture.
• Serve at room temperature. Super cold pasta can be a little stiff and dense, and cold ingredients usually taste under-seasoned. Let your vegan pasta salad come to a comfortable room temp (around 70F or so) for the best taste and texture. If you're using gluten-free pasta, it might get a little hard so you can always heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up.
• Don't fret about oil. You control how little or much you use in terms of oil in this recipe. I like to use just enough to combine the ingredients but oil olive is heart-healthy so use more if you like!
• Add more zing. Feel free to reach for more herbs and spices to flavor your salad. The onion and garlic that I use are my kitchen staples, but feel free to branch out. And don't forget about the power of fresh herbs to bring lots of brightness to the overall dish.
• Acid is your friend. A drizzle of fresh lemon really helps to bring out tons of flavor in the pasta salad. If you don't have fresh citrus on hand, consider using a splash of red wine vinegar instead.

A Note on Nutrition

Pasta salad, whether vegan or not, doesn't always inspire an image of health. That said, I've crafted this recipe to be well-balanced and nutritious!

This recipe only uses a few tablespoons of oil for the whole dish, but feel free to add a little more if you want because extra virgin olive oil is heart-healthy. Check out my Fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between post for more info on healthy fats!

I included chickpeas for an extra kick of protein. Chickpeas also contain fiber, iron, vitamin B6, and important electrolytes like magnesium and potassium.

The olives and sun-dried tomatoes add flavor as well as some healthy fat, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.