Vegan Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
10 as a side (6 as a main)
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Calories
358 kcal
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Cuisine
Italian-American Fussion
Vegan Pasta Salad
Description
The Vegan Pasta Salad centers on fusilli pasta coated with a sauce made from toasted walnuts and sourdough bread crumbs blended with roasted red bell peppers, garlic, lemon juice and zest, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. This sauce contributes a creamy, tangy, and subtly smoky flavor profile. The toasted bread crumbs and walnuts add a crunchy texture contrast.
A topping of fresh chopped parsley, basil, capers, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and chopped baby arugula provides herbal brightness and peppery notes that lift the dish. The pasta is cooked al dente, cooled, and mixed with portions of the sauce and pasta water to ensure the dressing clings smoothly to the noodles.
This salad works well as a light lunch or a side dish. Adding mix-ins like extra roasted red peppers, seasonal vegetables, or beans can provide variation. The sauce can be prepared in advance and thinned with vegetable broth or water. The salad is best assembled just before serving to preserve freshness and texture.
It is helpful to toast the walnuts and bread simultaneously for even browning and flavor.Mix the dressing with warm pasta initially to help absorption, then finish assembling with fresh ingredients.Substitute capers with green olives for a briny alternative if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli pasta rotini, or penne rigate (a ridged pasta
Sauce
- 1 cup walnuts raw
- 5 ounces sourdough bread baguette, or country-style bread, sliced
- 1 roasted red bell peppers drained from the liquid in the jar, jarred
- 3 garlic roughly chopped, cloves
- 1 lemon zested and juiced (3 tablespoons juice; save the zest for the Topping, medium
- ½ to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (use 1 teaspoon for prominent smokiness)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Herby Bread Crumb Topping
- bread crumbs reserved from sauce
- lemon zest reserved from topping
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups basil finely chopped, fresh
- 3 tablespoons capers chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flaky
- 3 cups arugula chopped, baby
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Place bread slices on a rimmed sheet pan. Spread out walnuts in the empty spaces on the pan. Toast both in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing the walnuts and flipping the bread slices over halfway through, until the walnuts are toasty and lightly browned and the bread is also a bit toasty. Allow to cool a bit.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, 4 quarts/liters or 128 ounces. Once boiling, season with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add the pasta and, once it comes back to a boil, set a timer for 2 minutes longer than the upper range of the cook time for al dente pasta on the box instructions.***Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander. Rinse the pasta with cold water to bring to room temperature and shake off the excess water.
- Make the bread crumbs: Tear the toasted bread into small pieces. Add them to a food processor and pulse repeatedly until you get bread crumbs, but don’t blend continuously—this helps retain some texture. It'll take a couple minutes. Take out half of the bread crumbs and set aside in a medium bowl for the Topping.
- Make the roasted red pepper sauce****. To the remaining bread crumbs in the food processor, add the toasted walnuts, roasted bell peppers, garlic, lemon juice (save the zest for the topping), smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper. Process until a thick paste forms. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil until a sauce forms, and blend until smooth and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed, but don’t add too much salt, as there’s also salt in the Topping.
- Make the Herby Bread Crumb Topping: In a bowl, combine the reserved bread crumbs, reserved lemon zest, chopped parsley and basil, chopped capers, red pepper flakes if using, and flaky salt. Stir well to combine.
- Assemble the pasta: toss the pasta with the roasted red pepper sauce until well coated. Add about ¾ cup (180 mL) of pasta water and toss to coat. Add more pasta water until it’s sufficiently saucy. Add the arugula and any other desired mix-ins***** and toss to combine. Add the Herby Bread Crumb Topping and gently toss just to combine.
Notes
- Reserve a portion of roasted red bell peppers and add finely chopped peppers to the salad for extra texture and color.
- If substituting capers, green olives are a suitable alternative.
- Cook pasta 2 minutes longer than the al dente time on the package for the best texture.
- The sauce can be made days ahead and stored refrigerated; thin with vegetable broth or water before using.
- Mix-ins like grilled corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, or beans can be added for variety and protein.
- Toast pine nuts or use vegan feta cheese as garnishes to add richness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10as a side (6 as a main)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 358 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 358kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 45g | 15% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 562mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 266mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 959IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 61mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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