Vegan Pasta Salad
Forget boring pasta salad. Try this amazing vegan pasta salad. This pasta salad vegan takes the classic dish to a whole new delicious level. This tasty vegan pasta is made with cooked pasta, roasted red pepper sauce, fresh herbs, and flavorful toppings.
Making the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This sauce is the key to making this vegan pasta salad amazing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts
- 5 ounces of good quality bread (like sourdough or baguette)
- Jarred roasted red bell peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Red pepper flakes
- Smoked paprika
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Toast the Walnuts and Bread
Set the temperature to 350 degrees. Put the bread pieces and walnuts for baking. Toast, turning halfway through, for approximately ten minutes. The walnuts should be golden brown and the bread should be dry.
Make Breadcrumbs
Slice the toasted bread into little pieces. In the food processor, place the bread. For the breadcrumbs, use the pulse feature. Not simply fine crumbs will do; you want a variety of textures. If your food mixer is tiny, do this in groups.
Comparison table
| Feature | Vegan Pasta Salad | Chickpea Avocado Salad |
| Ingredients | Pasta, small tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onion, vegan topping | Chickpeas, avocado, cucumber, onion, cilantro, lime |
| Preparation Time | 20–25 minutes | 10–15 minutes |
| Protein Source | Whole grain pasta or added beans | Chickpeas |
| Flavor Profile | Savory, tangy, Mediterranean-style | Creamy, zesty, fresh |
| Best Served | Cold or at room temperature | Cold |
| Storage Life | Up to 3 days in fridge | Best within 1–2 days (avocado browns fast) |
Blend the Sauce
In a blender, combine the crumbs, cloves of garlic spice flakes, salt, pepper, and walnuts. Put the roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, and lemon juice.
Mix everything until its texture is like thick pasta. When the blender is operating then put some olive oil and thicker tomato sauce until it becomes creamy. Taste the sauce of the vegetarian pasta salad and add some seasonings if needed.
Cooking the Pasta
Choose the Right Pasta
Choose a short or medium-size pasta with wrinkles or pockets. Fusilli, rotini, and spaghetti work nicely because they soak the sauce.
Cook it Right
Add four cups of water in a pan. Add enough kosher salt to the water. This gives pasta its taste from the inside. Cook the pasta for a few more minutes than the packet indicates.
By doing this, it won’t dry out in the salad. Drain almost one cup of pasta water and after that wash the spaghetti under cold water to prevent it from sticking.
Making the Topping
Put the pasta in a large bowl. Then, add Cannellini beans, Cherry tomatoes (cut in half), Cucumber (chopped), Black olives (sliced)
If you want some canned corn, shallot or red onion (thinly sliced), parsley (finely chopped) you can add these toppings according to your choice. Pour the dressing over the veggie pasta salad. Blend everything together until all the ingredients are well blended.
Conclusion
This vegan pasta salad is the winner. This meatless pasta salad is a simple, healthy and delicious meal. This is also best for quick lunch and picnics. This vegetarian pasta salad recipes looks best with fresh ingredients and tangy toppings.
