Vegan Pasta Salad

Can you even call it a summer barbecue without a big bowl of cold pasta salad? I don’t think so! Bring a chocolate sheet cake as well for the perfect dessert to feed a crowd. Vegan Pasta Salad is a welcome and flavorful side next to your barbecue favorites like veggie burgers, grilled veggies, and barbecue sauce-slathered tofu. Crisp bell peppers, red onions, pepperoncini peppers and pasta are covered in a light and briny Italian dressing that truly makes the salad irresistible. There are a million reasons why pasta salad is so great, but I especially love how easy the recipe is to throw together and that it can be stored away for days. In fact, the flavors get better and better as it keeps! You should definitely bring this to your next cookout! It’s a simple recipe that’s also:

Flexible Quick and easy So fresh Budget-friendly And hearty!

Veggie pasta salad with Italian dressing

The secret to this Italian-inspired pasta salad is the sweet and mild pepperoncini peppers! You’ll need them for both the salad and the dressing. Mixing the pepperoncini brine with herbs, red wine vinegar, and a little sugar transforms a basic vinaigrette into a playful Italian dressing you can use on grilled vegetables, green salads, and more.

How to make vegan pasta salad

You’ll start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the water and rinse the pasta with cold water to cool it off. Toss it with some oil in a large bowl and set aside. Make the dressing by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl or a jar. Assemble the pasta salad by stirring the veggies, and dressing together with the pasta. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Storing leftovers

Keep some leftover pasta salad in airtight containers for easy grab-and-go weekday lunches. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days, meaning you can enjoy it all week long or as a quick side dish with dinner. Feel free to stir in more dressing or liven it up with a little olive oil if the pasta has dried out.