Vegan Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad

Brighten up your summer gatherings with this vibrant Vegan Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad, a perfect blend of wholesome ingredients and bold Mediterranean flavors. This quick and easy recipe features al dente penne or fusilli pasta tossed with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy red bell pepper, and tangy black olives. The fresh parsley and basil add a fragrant herbal touch, while a zesty homemade dressing—made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a hint of maple syrup—ties it all together. Ready in just 30 minutes and served chilled, this plant-based pasta salad is ideal for picnics, potlucks, or a light, satisfying lunch. Bursting with color, freshness, and wholesome flavor, it’s a must-try for vegans and non-vegans alike!

Nutriscore Rating: 71/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 250 grams Penne or fusilli pasta
• 200 grams Cherry tomatoes
• 1 large Cucumber
• 1 medium Red bell pepper
• 0.5 medium Red onion
• 100 grams Black olives
• 0.5 bunch Fresh parsley
• 0.5 bunch Fresh basil
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 30 ml Red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Maple syrup
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Once done, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and chop the red bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3

Finely slice the red onion and cut the black olives in half.

Step 4

Chop the parsley and basil leaves finely.

Step 5

In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Step 6

In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, and basil.

Step 7

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is well-coated and incorporated.

Step 8

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 9

Serve chilled and enjoy your refreshing vegan pasta salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1294.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1223.3

Total Fat 74.4g	0%
Saturated Fat 11.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3489.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 127.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 15.8g	0%
Total Sugars 26.4g
Protein 23.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 286.3mg	0%
Iron 13.0mg	0%
Potassium 1863.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 52.7%

Protein: 7.3%

Carbs: 40.0%