15 Minute Pasta Salad

There are two kinds of pasta salads in this world: the ones that are soggy and drowning in a mayo-based dressing and the ones that are tossed with a light vinaigrette. (You can guess which one I prefer.) This 15 minute pasta salad is full of colour and flavour—no mayo to be found! Just lots of veggies, briny olives, and the most divine vinaigrette to tie it all together.

Why This Is My Go-To Vegan Pasta Salad

I’ve been making this pasta salad recipe for ages now, switching up the vegetables based on the seasons and what I have on hand. Here’s why I love it so much!

• Practically effortless. The 15 minutes in the name is no lie! While the pasta is boiling, cut the veggies and make the dressing. Drain the pasta, cool slightly and mix it all in. Done and done. 
• So versatile. This pasta salad works for a lunch, a quick weeknight dinner, a side dish, potlucks, summer parties, and it can be served cold or hot (I prefer it cold so the veggies are crisp—just my humble opinion). 
• That vinaigrette though. Vinaigrettes are so incredibly easy to whip up and once you give this one a taste, well, let me just say, you will never buy a bottle at the grocery store again. It’s bright, lemony, and fabulous!

Notes on Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple vegan pasta salad. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Italian Vinaigrette:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar – I like to use a good, syrupy balsamic vinegar that has some natural sweetness to it. If yours isn’t so sweet, you might want to add a small pinch of sugar to the vinaigrette for balance.
• Lemon juice – Or apple cider vinegar.
• Dijon mustard – A common addition to vinaigrettes, this adds some depth to the equation.
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

Pasta Salad:

• Rotini pasta – Or another pasta shape you like or have on hand.
• Green bell pepper – Green bell pepper has a nice little bite to it! Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers can be swapped in for a sweeter flavour.
• Cherry tomatoes
• Parsley
• Black olives – Canned olives are just fine, or go fancy and throw in some Kalamata olives.
• Red onion – If you’re not a fan of raw onion, don’t worry—the acid in the vinaigrette will mellow its flavour so it’s not as sharp.

How to Make Vegan Pasta Salad (in 15 Minutes!)

If you’re making this recipe right now, scroll to the bottom of the post for the full instructions. This is just a quick overview!

• Make the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a bowl and shake (for the jar) or whisk (for the bowl) until the oil and vinegar emulsify.
• Cook the pasta. Follow the package directions and be sure to salt the water. Drain and cool the pasta slightly.
• Put it all together. Toss the pasta with the vinaigrette and the rest of the veggies, then serve.

Tips for Success

• Meal prep it. This recipe is ideal for meal prep since it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days. (That said, if you’re making this for a party, I wouldn’t assemble it more than a day in advance to make sure the veggies are at their freshest.)
• Let the flavours meld. After you’ve assembled the salad, if you can let it sit for 30 minutes, the flavours will intensify even more.
• Serve it warm or cold. I prefer this pasta salad chilled, but you can also serve it warm, right after you’ve mixed in all the ingredients. Either way is delicious!

Variations

Want to switch things up? This is definitely a recipe where you can do that!

• Make it gluten-free. You can swap in your favourite gluten-free pasta to make this pasta salad gluten-free. I do recommend under-cooking the pasta slightly, as gluten-free pastas have a tendency to soften more than wheat pasta when added to sauces and dressings.
• Try other veggies. I’ve made this recipe with zucchini, carrots, spring onions, broccoli, baby spinach—truly, almost any vegetable will work here. You can even use leftover Balsamic Roasted Vegetables!
• Add some protein. I love tossing in my Vegan Feta Cheese, which is made with tofu so it adds some protein to the mix too.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re making this recipe as a side dish, I think it would pair well with Marinated Tofu or Lemon Pepper Tofu, or a sandwich like this Vegan Chicken Parm Sandwich or Caprese Sandwich with Parsley Pesto.

How to Store

This pasta salad recipe holds up really well in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container; it lasts for about 5-6 days. I do not recommend freezing it, as there are too many fresh ingredients and their textures and flavours will suffer.

More Satisfying Salads

• Fattoush Salad
• Thai Quinoa Salad
• Tofu Egg Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Vegan Cobb Salad