Vegan Italian Pasta Salad (Oil-Free!)
An easy Italian-style pasta salad with curly pasta, crunchy vegetables, and fresh herbs. Tossed in a zesty oil-free dressing!
Servings: 6 side servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz. fusilli pasta (gluten-free if desired)
- 8 oz. grape/cherry tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1/3 cup red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
For the Italian-style dressing:
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, leaving al dente (slightly firm, not mushy). Drain and rinse with cold water when finished.
- Meanwhile, prepare veggies: Quarter/halve tomatoes, dice cucumber, and thinly slice red onion. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Slice olives and roughly chop parsley (large stems removed). Place in bowl.
- Make the dressing: In a separate small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine.
- Add cooked pasta to bowl with veggies. Then add dressing and toss well to combine.
- Can serve immediately, but best served chilled after 1-2 hours. (Be sure to gently stir again before serving as some dressing may settle at the bottom.)
Notes
Variations: Add artichoke hearts, green bell pepper, roasted red pepper, capers, pepperoncini, sun-dried tomato, vegan parmesan, or vegan mozzarella. (It's tasty with small cubes of Miyoko's mozzarella added. Just be aware this isn't oil-free.)
Omit olives: If not using olives, I recommend adding capers and/or artichoke hearts for a salty pop of flavor.
Storing: This salad keeps covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or you can store the dressing & salad separately and toss together when ready. (It does tend to dry out a little as it sits.)
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 171 kcal | Carbohydrates: 33 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 2 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Potassium: 236 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 471 IU | Vitamin C: 17 mg | Calcium: 32 mg | Iron: 1 mg
