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My easy-to-make vegetarian pasta salad is so tasty and comes together in no time. Packed with veggies and tossed in a delicious homemade Italian vinaigrette dressing. It’s the perfect way to use up all the veggies in your fridge.
I have so many pasta salad recipes, and this one is one of my favorites. Whenever I have some veggies in my fridge that I am not sure what to make with, I make this veggie pasta salad. I love cold pasta salads because they store well in the fridge for days, are great for get-togethers or potlucks, and work well for meal prepping lunches.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
Below are the ingredients I used to make this pasta salad. You can change it up to make it your own. Ingredient swaps are mentioned below, but if you want to skip all my commentary on the ingredients, just skip down to the recipe card.
- Pasta: No rules on which pasta to use, so long as it’s short pasta. It can be whole-wheat, regular, gluten-free, or protein pasta.
- Olives: I love green olives here, but use what you have on hand.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated or store-bought is fine.
- Red Cabbage: If you want to buy this pre-packed in the stores, go right ahead.
- Veggies: bell peppers, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.
For the homemade Italian Dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar works great here, but if you do not have any on hand, use balsamic.
- Lemon: I used about 1/3 cup, which was one large juicy lemon. Lemons or limes are fine, but I prefer lemon for this salad. Fresh lemons, of course, taste better than store-bought, but it’s up to you.
- Honey: You will need about 1 tablespoon to neutralize the acidity. Works like magic. Agave is fine, but do not use maple syrup.
- 3 garlic cloves: do not try to use garlic powder here. Fresh works best.
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, or honey mustard works.
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning: Store-bought is fine, or you can make some homemade Italian Seasoning.
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil: This is best used for salads, honestly, and I personally prefer it to avocado oil for salads.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Note: If you want to make this dressing the day before, you can. Just add it to a lidded jar after you mix it, then store it in the fridge.
How to make vegetarian pasta salad
Cook the pasta: I would start by cooking the pasta before you chop the veggies, so you can let it cool before making the salad. Once the pasta is ready, place it in a bowl
✏️ I recommend rinsing the pasta after you drain it to prevent further cooking.
Make the dressing: Add all the dressing ingredients to a lidded jar or bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.
Prepare the veggies: While the pasta is cooking, cut up all the veggies and add them to a bowl.
✏️ Cut the veggies into small bite sizes and try to cut them to the same size.
Make the salad: Add the veggies to a large bowl, along with the pasta, and top with parmesan cheese. Pour the dressing the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Place the salad bowl in the fridge and allow it to chill for about 30 minutes before serving. This will allow all the flavors to meld well.
Recipe Tips
- Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Cook it to just al dente so it doesn’t mush.
- After you drain the pasta, I recommend rinsing it and allowing it to cool. Rinsing will stop the cooking and keep it from sticking.
- I like homemade dressing because they are much better for you. But if you want to use your favorite store-bought dressing, you can.
- Do let the salad chill in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the flavors come together.
Common Questions
Pasta salads last up to 5-7 days in the fridge, even when mixed. They will soak up the dressing and taste even better the next day.
I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. The veggies don’t freeze well, and once thawed, they may be soft and mushy.
To keep it vegetarian, you can use protein pasta instead of normal pasta. You can add in some seared or baked tofu bites. For a non-vegetarian option, toss it with some chopped lemon garlic chicken.
More Pasta Salads
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad Recipe
- Citrus Cajun Shrimp Salad
- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.
Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Whole Wheat Short Pasta, or any short pasta
- 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 English Cucumber, diced
- 1½ Cups Shredded Red Cabbage
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Cup Olives, sliced
- ½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Dressing
- ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- ⅓ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 tablespoon Raw Honey
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- ⅓ Cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the 1 pound Whole Wheat Short Pasta, and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Drain and set aside in a large bowl. Add in 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, 1½ Cups Shredded Red Cabbage, 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, 1 Orange Bell Pepper, 1 Cup Olives, 1 English Cucumber, and ½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients until well combined. (¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar, ⅓ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 tablespoon Raw Honey, 3 Garlic Cloves, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning, ⅓ Cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil .
- Pour dressing over and gently toss to evenly coat. Season with Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Preparing the Pasta: After you cook the pasta, drain and rinse it with cold water to prevent it from sticking together and stop the pasta from cooking further. You may even leave the pasta in a slightly iced water bath for a few minutes. Drain and add just a bit of olive oil. Toss, and start making your salad.
- Pasta: Use any shape pasta of your choice. You may use any kind of pasta as well. I love using whole wheat, and sometimes I use protein pasta.
- Veggies: Add in any veggies you prefer. Tastes great with celery as well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Vegetarian Pasta Salad amazing recipes thanks for sharing.