VNutrition

Eat Kind. Be Healthy.

Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad {GF}

Easy to make and much healthier than those boxed pasta salads, my tasty Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad would be perfect for BBQs, potlucks or parties! Plus it’s dairy and gluten-free! 

Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad

BBQs, picnics, and potlucks are such fun ways to celebrate with family and friends. I’m always looking for something delicious to bring to impress people and show them how tasty a plant-based diet can be like with some Street Fair Corn or Ramen Noodle Salad.

In my pre-veg days, one of my favorite foods at our family BBQs used to be that boxed Betty Crocker Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. Though it was not the healthiest thing in the world, I loved it anyway. So much so that I usually ate like half the box myself!

Becuase I missed having that pasta salad during our BBQs, I decided to create a recipe that was healthier and plant-based that everyone would enjoy. So I came up with this copycat recipe that my whole family has loved (including omnivores).

Now no one misses the old boxed stuff!

Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad

 

Dairy-Free Ranch

First, I needed to whip up a tasty vegan ranch dressing. Ranch was my jam before giving up dairy so I knew I wanted to do it justice.

I make a delicious ranch dipping sauce for my Buffalo Quinoa Balls and I considered using that. Although that sauce is tasty and would definitely work for this pasta salad, the ranch I ultimately created for the dish is quick to make and a bit lighter in texture than my original version.

I think this version works a bit better on the pasta. It makes the dish smoother.

The fresh herbs take this pasta salad to the next level so I do recommending using them if you can. If not, you can sub in a little less of the dried herbs.

Added Protein

I love the taste of bacon bits and ranch together (did you know many of those bacon bits – like the one from McCormick – were actually vegan?!). I use them in a pinch but since they are very processed, I wanted to come up with another idea to share with you.

I have used tempeh before in my Spicy Sesame Noodles and Teriyaki Tempeh so thought that could work as a good substitute. I’m glad I tried it because it worked out well.

Most health food stores like Whole Foods will have tempeh and many large mainstream grocery stores carry it now – I have found some at my local Stop and Shop. If you have never tried tempeh or tried it before and didn’t’ think it was for you, give this cooking technique a try, it’s really good!

If you’re in a rush and have bacon bits on hand, you can always use them in this vegan ranch pasta salad instead of the tempeh.

Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad

Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad

If you make this vegan ranch pasta salad recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.

Share your pictures of any of my recipes on Instagram and use #vnutrition or tag @v.nutrition so I won’t miss it!

5 from 4 votes
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Ranch Pasta Salad {gluten free}

Easy to make and much healthier than those boxed pasta salads, my tasty Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad would be perfect for BBQs, potlucks or parties! Plus it’s vegan, gluten free! 

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 258 kcal
Author Mary Ellen

Ingredients

PASTA

  • 12 oz gluten-free pasta shell pasta (or any kind that fits your diet)
  • 1/2 cup frozen baby peas
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 1 small carrot shredded

TEMPEH BACON BITS (use half of the recipe)

Vegan Ranch (see recipe below)

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta to package directions.

  2. While pasta is cooking, put tempeh block in a bowl and mash it with a fork until crumbly. Then add tamari, apple cider vinegar, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

  3. Add oil to large pan. Once heated, add tempeh crumbles and cook for about 5 minutes until heated and browned.

  4. Make vegan ranch sauce (recipe below).

  5. When pasta is done, add peas to cooked hot pasta and let sit for about a minute to heat up the peas.
  6. Add carrots and sun-dried tomatoes to pasta.
  7. Stir ranch sauce into pasta.
  8. Mix in 1/2 of the tempeh (or feel free to use all of it if you want!).

Recipe Notes

This nutrition info is based on the chickpea pasta that I linked to in the ingredients list.

Nutrition Facts
Ranch Pasta Salad {gluten free}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 258 Calories from Fat 59
% Daily Value*
Fat 6.6g10%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 10g42%
Protein 18.6g37%
Vitamin A 3800IU76%
Vitamin C 3.3mg4%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 6.2mg34%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
5 from 4 votes
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Vegan Ranch

Rich and creamy ranch without the dairy!

Course condiment
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 187 kcal
Author Mary Ellen

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Ranch
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Carbohydrates 2.9g1%
Protein 0.8g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    LOL!!! Two weekends ago, we were doing our food tasting for our wedding and this beautiful salad came out with a specific dressing for the salad and my fiance looked at it funny and was like, uh. I hate. it. And I looked at him like EXCUSE ME but you didn’t even try it… And he was like. Yeah, I know. But I also know it needs ranch. In fact, everything on this table needs some ranch. LMFAO!!!!

    Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      Thanks Kimmy! I bet coconut bacon would be awesome in this! Great idea, next time I do a ranch kind of thing I’m totally using coconut bacon (and crediting you of course!).

      Reply

      • Kimmythevegan says

        Ok I made this tonight for supper and pretty well kept the entire recipe the same, except I added broccoli as I had some in the fridge that needed using up. I did it with tempeh bacon too as I wanted to try it the way you made it the first time. Holy crap it’s insanely delicious! I had 1.5 bowls of it and wanted to keep going… but figured moderation was key 😉 SO GOOD!!!!

        Reply

        • Mary Ellen says

          I’m so glad you liked it Kimmy! Moderation is key but it’s hard lol.

          It’s funny, I actually asked Matt if I should add broccoli to this dish and he said I probably didn’t need it – good to know the broccoli worked in there too!

          Reply

  5. Cadry's Kitchen says

    Oh, my gosh! I totally remember those boxed salads. I always had boxed salads & boxed rice mixes in my college dorm. They were easy to have on hand and cook with limited cooking equipment. It’s funny. I actually thought they were almost healthy because of the dehydrated vegetables in them! Well, it was better than my breakfast of Twinkies… Haha! Thank goodness for healthier versions like this one!

    Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      I used to have soooo many boxed pastas in my dorm too! I got them on sale and then bought like 100 of them for the semester and ate the whole box myself!

      I thought they were healthy too – 2 tablespoons of dehydrated veggies were they only vegetables I probably ate that day!

      Reply

  7. kateringforveggies says

    Oh this looks so good! I love to add sundried tomatoes to my pasta salad as well… They’re so tasty! I need to try tempeh this way… We have a love/hate relationship: I would love to love it but every time I’ve had it I didn’t like it much. I’m about to give up!

    Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      Try the tempeh this way and let me know what you think! I could not stand tempeh for the longest time but now I can eat it this way – baby steps for me!

      Reply

  11. Farrah says

    I’m not sure why, but I’ve never actually tried making pasta salad (I only ever have it as just…well, pasta (with sauce + veggies/meat). I need to try this though–it looks amazing, and way better than the box!

    Reply

  16. Corina says

    It looks delicious! I haven’t made a pasta salad for a long time but my mum has a couple of favourites that she’s been making for years and it’s great to remake an old favourite but in a healthier way!

    Reply

  20. J says

    This pasta salad is delicious and so simple! It came together very quickly and tasted amazing 🙂 It is one of those dishes that you could never tell was vegan, which is great for sharing with family and friends who get turned off by the word vegan alone!

    Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      Thank you so much! I am so happy you liked it! I’m with you, I bring this to parties and people don’t realize it’s vegan and they love it. When they find out it’s vegan, they’re so surprised – but probably wouldn’t have tried it if they heard the word vegan beforehand. 🙂

      Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      Hi Margaret! I think it’s best the same day but I’ve eaten it a few days later and it still tastes really good. I guess it’s not the taste so much as it looks best the day you make it – pretty much like anything else. I made the video for this Monday and finished the last of it for lunch yesterday and I still really enjoyed it, one of my co-workers actually said it smelled really good. 🙂
      I might just add a little extra mayo if you are going to eat it a day or so later to keep it creamier.

      Reply

  22. Katie says

    Hi! If using McCormick Bacon Bits instead of the Tempeh, how much would you recommend adding? This looks delicious – I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

    • Mary Ellen says

      Since the bacon bits are a little saltier than the tempeh, I’d probably start with about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup and give it a taste to see what you think. Then add a little more if you need it.
      I hope you enjoy Katie!

      Reply

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