This recipe uses pasta in place of the customary lettuce in a Greek salad. Mixed with veggies, this makes a substantial and lively main dish for warm-weather meals, as well as a great vegan potluck dish for summer gatherings. Take along some extra vinaigrette to moisten the salad if it is to stand for a substantial amount of time. Leftovers are great to pack into containers for the next day’s lunch. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
Cooking pasta for a cold salad is radically different from cooking pasta for a hot dish. Going against the grain, you cook it not to al dente, but to tenderness. Overcooking it will leave you with a soggy mess instead of a salad, and undercooking it will produce hard-as-nails pasta once cool. Cooking the pasta just right will render this a perfect American staple.
And being vegan doesn’t mean you have to miss out on delicious, creamy macaroni salads. This recipe uses vegan mayonnaise to keep it dairy-free. Use gluten-free pasta to make it gluten-free.
Recipe and photo from Everyday Vegan Eats* by Zsu Dever © 2014, reprinted by permission of Vegan Heritage Press. Continue Reading…
There’s something really satisfying about filled pastas like tortellini or ravioli, especially now that there are several vegan varieties to choose from. Combined with summer’s ripe tomatoes and basil, they are the basis of a delicious main dish salad in this recipe. Look for them in the freezer section of natural foods stores. Continue Reading…
This cold linguine salad features vibrant flavors provided by artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and lots of fresh parsley. It will hold up well on hot days or when being transported to a potluck. If you prefer to have it warm, by all means, do so. Simply skip the step of rinsing the pasta in cool water and use it straight after it’s been drained. For a complete meal, serve with a simple chickpea salad. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. Continue Reading…
Brimming with fresh corn and tomatoes, this sturdy, savory pasta salad is a reliable offerings for summer company, and is easy enough for everyday meals. This is a delicious accompaniment to grilled vegetables or veggie burgers. Photos by Evan Atlas.
This mild and creamy vegan macaroni salad is reminiscent of the kind sold at deli counters, but with more going for it — namely, lots of veggies. Kid- and picky eater-friendly, it’s a nice change-of-pace from sandwiches to pack for school or office portable lunches. For this recipe, we used Tolerant gluten-free organic green lentil pasta, just one of several such high-protein, legume-based pastas.  Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
I especially like this sprightly pasta salad made with orecchiette (“little earsâ€), a small, delicate pasta, but you can use any short pasta shape you’d like. Use very slender asparagus and you won’t need to scrape the stalks. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. Continue Reading…
Israeli couscous is one fun little pasta. It’s round and quick-cooking, and has a very pleasant mouth feel. Combined with herbs, raw veggies, and lush stone fruit, this Israeli Couscous Summer Pilaf is a light and refreshing foil to grilled foods or well-seasoned plant-based protein dishes.Â
Continue Reading…
This tasty vegan pasta salad featuring roasted peppers, fresh tomatoes, and tofu “feta” Â is great for parties, potlucks, and barbecues, or just as a change of pace companion to veggie burgers, soups, and green veggies. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
This simple pasta salad makes a nice change of pace from sandwich fare. Featuring kid-friendly veggies, you can dress it in a way you think would be most appealing. Vary the vegetables according to your child’s preference. You can make this for dinner, then use leftovers for the lunch box (moisten with additional dressing as needed), or just make it for lunch-packing from the get go, for which it yields a generous number of servings. If you’re looking for more lunch ideas, you might enjoy our post, Healthy School Lunch Recipes and Tips. Continue Reading…
This pasta salad featuring peppers, avocado, and corn has a delectable southwestern flavor. For a nice warm-weather meal, serve with a simple bean dish or vegan quesadillas. Photos by Rachael Braun. Continue Reading…
Featuring tasty chickpeas, marinated artichoke hearts, bell pepper, and olives, the ingredients for this delectable pasta salad can be easily doubled to make it party-size. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
Here’s a veggie-filled pasta salad that’s always a crowd-pleaser. Broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, and briny olives and dried tomatoes make this a most colorful dish. This is a great choice as a vegan potluck recipe for warm weather occasions. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
This delightful pilaf/salad combining Israeli couscous, tomatoes, avocado, and stone fruit is from Vegan Holiday Kitchen.* Israeli couscous is one fun little pasta. It’s round and quick-cooking, and has a very pleasant mouth feel. Look for it in bulk in natural foods stores, or in the Middle Eastern section of the international aisle in well-stocked supermarkets. Photo by Susan Voisin, FatFree Vegan Kitchen. Continue Reading…
Here’s an appealing cool salad that combines the familiar flavors of cold pasta, black-eyed peas and fresh corn, embellished with peppers and fresh herbs. This is a great pasta salad for everyday meals as well as company fare for summer. Continue Reading…
This simple pasta salad is reminiscent of a retro favorite, tuna-noodle salad, with baked or firm herbed tofu standing in. It’s a pasta salad that’s welcome all year round, not just during summer months. In addition, once you have your noodles cooked, this takes hardly more time to make for lunch than a sandwich, and packs up really well as a portable lunch. Serve with cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks (or baby carrots) on the side. Photos by Rachael Braun.
This simple pasta dish, filled with flavorful asparagus and artichokes, is sure to please in late spring and early summer. This can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with a salad featuring chickpeas (I especially like this with Chickpea Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, and Basil) and fresh corn on the cob. Photos by Rachael Braun. Continue Reading…
The companionable summer duo—tomatoes and basil—becomes quite a delicacy when teamed with pasta in a dish that’s best served at room temperature. See the variation below — adding vegan mozzarella makes it a Caprese-style pasta dish. Continue Reading…
The ingredients of Salade Nicoise—green beans, white beans, ripe tomatoes, and cured olives— join forces with pasta to make a delectable cold dish. Baked marinated tofu stands in for tuna, another standard Nicoise ingredient. This makes a heaping helping even with only 8 ounces pasta, making it a nice summer potluck dish. Continue Reading…
Adding pasta to the popular three-bean salad combo gives it a contemporary twist. This party-sized pasta salad goes with just about anything else you’re serving — grilled vegetables, veggie burgers, tofu or tempeh dishes — it’s a most companionable accompaniment. Continue Reading…
