Whenever I make a new pasta salad recipe, I think about veggies before the pasta. I love pasta, so I made a delicious Italian pasta salad loaded with vegetables, beans, and pasta in an oil-free creamy Italian dressing. So what makes Italian pasta salad Italian? By adding the freshest vegetables and a homemade dressing that brings out the flavors of the vegetables.
Like many people, I love pasta, but I like to keep the pasta at a minimum and the veggies at a maximum. This way, I get to enjoy pasta while getting all my veggies and beans simultaneously. My Italian pasta salad recipe is everything nutritious in one fabulous bowl.
When I think about ingredients for a salad, I always try to shop for vegetables in season, fresh, and less expensive. But then, it's all about the colors of the rainbow and the nutrition.
What ingredients are in Italian Pasta Salad?
Although most pasta salad is raw, the asparagus is roasted, and the pasta is cooked al dente. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta instead of whole-grain pasta. For this pasta salad, I chose a whole-grain fusilli pasta, but any shape of pasta works.
- Pasta of Choice
- Watermelon Radish
- Summer Squash (Yellow)
- Zucchini
- Grape Tomatoes
- Artichoke Hearts
- White Beans (I used Cannellini)
- Capers
- Kalamata Olives
- Parsley
- Basil
- Red Bell Pepper
- Red Onion
- Purple Cabbage
- Roasted Asparagus
Regardless of the vegetables chosen for this delicious cold pasta salad, the flavors are enhanced by the Creamy Italian Dressing. The capers and kalamata olives add a rich and savory compone to the Italian pasta salad.
Tips for making the perfect Italian Pasta Salad
- Ensure the noodles are cooked al dente and immediately transferred to a colander and drained.
- Then, run the noodles under cold water and toss them in the colander to stop cooking.
- No one likes mushy noodles in a pasta salad.
- Then, transfer the rinsed, cooled noodles to a bowl.
- Dress with half the Dressing to prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Because the Dressing is oil-free, reserve the remaining Dressing to toss again right before serving.
- As a result, the salad will maintain its creamy texture.
Italian Pasta Salad Dressing Options
Even though I chose my Creamy Italian Dressing, another option is my Italian Dressing, both nut-free and gluten-free.
Ingredients in Creamy Italian Dressing
Substitute white beans for raw cashews for those who prefer dressings without nuts. It does, however, have a grainier texture. For that reason, I prefer using cashews in my creamy Italian Dressing instead. But, to make this recipe friendly for everyone, there is a substitution in the recipe.
- White vinegar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Raw cashews (or substitute white beans or silken tofu for a nut-free option)
- Fresh lemon juice
- Maple Syrup
- Garlic
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Stone-ground Mustard
- Italian Seasoning
- Water
- Basil (fresh)
- Parsley (fresh)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients in Italian Dressing
- White vinegar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Maple Syrup
- Garlic
- Red Onion
- Green Pepper
- Stone-ground Mustard
- Basil (fresh)
- Parsley (fresh)
- Italian Seasoning
- Water
As a side dish or an entree, enjoy every bite of this colorful and robust flavored pasta salad recipe.
If you love Italian flavors, check out these delicious Italian Recipes.
- Italian Potato Salad
- Italian Sandwiches
- Spaghetti Salad
- Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
- White Sauce Lasagna
- Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Vegan Lasagna
- Veggie Stuffed Shells
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
- Pasta with Carbonara
- Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Bruschetta Pasta
Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces Pasta of Choice choose shape and type
- 1 Watermelon Radish sliced and then quartered)
- 1 Summer Squash Yellow, sliced and cut in halves
- 1 Zucchini sliced and cut in halves
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup Artichoke Hearts chopped (about ½ a can; be sure to use artichokes in water, not oil)
- 1 15 ounces can of White Beans I used Cannellini, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Capers
- ¼ cup Kalamata Olives chopped
- ¼ cup Parsley chopped
- ¼ cup Basil chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
- ½ Red Onion chopped (or ½ cup)
- 1 cup Purple Cabbage chopped
- 8 Spears Asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces and roasted
Creamy Italian Dressing or Italian Dressing
- 1 recipe Creamy Italian Dressing divided or
- 1 recipe Italian Dressing
Garnish (optional)
- [Vegan Parmesan Cheese]
- [Tofu Feta Cheese]
- Micro-greens
Instructions
Roast the Asparagus
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Wash and then cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces
- Lay asparagus on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before adding to the salad.
- Choose creamy or regular oil-free Italian dressing.
- Prepare 1 recipe of creamy Italian dressing (choose cashew option or white beans for a nut-free version.
- Or, prepare Oil-free Italian Dressing without nuts or beans.
Preparing the Italian Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Make sure to cook al dente, and choose the al dente cooking instructions.
- Rinse pasta in cold water immediately after draining and toss in cold water in a colander until all the pasta is cooled.
- Transfer the cooled pasta into a large bowl.
- Add the cut raw vegetables, roasted asparagus, beans, and herbs.
- Now, add half the dressing, and toss.
- Reserve the other half of the dressing until ready to serve.
- Toss in the remaining dressing when the pasta salad is ready to serve.
- Add Vegan Parmesan as a garnish (optional)
- Another great option is tofu feta cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Leave a Reply