This vegan pasta salad is quick, easy to make, and bursting with flavors of veggies like mushroom & edamame. It's a protein-rich, low fat, and no cheese salad that can be made ahead of time and under 20 minutes! Fit for a crowd.
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Pasta - a no-fuss meal
A savory, earthy dairy-free pasta salad featuring sauteed mushrooms and edamame will surely make your mouth water.
This pasta salad is a healthy, light, and super flavorful meatless dish that comes together quickly and is reminiscent of spring.
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Full of fresh flavors and simple to make, this is one of my go-to easy vegan pasta salad recipes, especially for potlucks and gatherings.
It tastes so good that it can beat a store-bought pasta any time!
Not just fit for a crowd, this vegetarian pasta salad is also great for weekly meal prep too! You can make this pasta salad a day before and store it in the fridge.
This recipe requires minimal chopping and is a one-pot dish.
Why make this
There are many recipes for vegan pasta salad online. I like to make it this way for these reasons.
- Simple and easy to make
- Can be made in just 20 minutes
- Will work with any pasta variety
- 100% customizable
- No or minimal chopping
- One-pot meal
- Great make-ahead meal
- Can also be served as a cold vegan pasta salad
- Is vegan and gluten free
- Mayo free
- Made with no cheese and no sauce
- No dressing required
- Is healthy - loaded with veggies, low fat and protein rich
- Great recipe for large groups
- Extremely delicious to taste
Ingredients needed
Since this is a basic recipe, the ingredients are pretty basic as well. Everything you need to make this healthy pasta salad can be easily found in your home and yes, it can be made even last-minute!
Pasta - Well, it's a pasta-based dish! Is pasta vegan? Most packaged pasta (any variety) contains no animal-derived ingredients unless you see “egg” listed as an ingredient. So yes, vegans can eat pasta! Which pasta is healthy to eat?
While choosing the right pasta, pick the one that is certified vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and low on the glycemic index.
Non-flour dried pasta made from quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, brown rice, or black beans has more protein and fiber than regular pasta.
Vegetable stock - I like to cook pasta in vegetable stock for more flavor and to amp up its nutrition.
Alternately, you can add a cup or two of broth or stock to a pan of boiling water, if you want to save on the stock/broth on hand to use another day.
However, use homemade stock if possible. It's cost-effective, low or sodium-free, and tastes much better.
Cooking oil - For pasta recipes, I prefer to use either Olive oil or Avocado oil.
They both contain equal amounts of saturated fat.
However, avocado oil is more valuable and expensive plus it's slightly higher in polyunsaturated fat in comparison to olive oil.
Garlic - My recipes are incomplete without garlic! It adds so much flavor.
Freshly minced garlic is preferred.
Vegetables - You can add as many or limit to just one or two veggies here. I have used chopped tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, and frozen edamame (Shelled Soybeans).
Always rinse the vegetables under running water before using them.
Herbs - I love parsley and oregano, but you can use thyme, rosemary, basil, etc. Can use fresh or dried herbs.
Seasonings - Crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, and lemon juice are added to get the best flavor!
Instructions to make Vegan pasta salad
Now that you have all the ingredients you need to make this bowl of pasta, let's get this done! Watch the video above to see how it's made.
- Cook the bow tie pasta according to package directions for al dente.
- Drain and rinse the pasta under cool running water.
- Set it aside for now.
- In a sauce pan, add avocado oil, fry minced garlic and pine nuts for a few minutes till it turns light brown.
- Then add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until the water in it evaporates. Then they will be softened and cooked down. This could take 4-5 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Halfway through, add frozen edamame and cook it along with the mushrooms.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for few minutes till they turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add chopped bell peppers and continue to saute for another minute.
- Next add the seasonings like paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Then add the herbs like parsley and oregano. Mix and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked pasta along with lemon juice and toss it all together.
Serving suggestions
You can serve it immediately after tossing it together. Or you can serve this healthy salad chilled. Pasta salad with veggies is most often served as a side dish.
What toppings to put on pasta?
For added flavor, add any or all of these over a bowl of this delicious Edamame Mushroom Vegan Pasta Salad.
- Nutritional yeast
- Hemp seeds
- Vegan Parmesan
- Toasted pine nuts
- Garlic olive oil
Can you make this a day before?
Yes. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Season to taste before serving. It can be served warm or cold.
Can you freeze it?
You can choose to either freeze the cooked pasta separately from the other ingredients, or you can also choose to freeze it all mixed up in a single container. Pasta salad can last about a week in the freezer.
What goes with dairy free pasta salad?
Some ideas are - Toasted Garlic Bread, Kale Salad, Avocado slices, Grilled Brussels Sprouts, Cucumber Salad, a bowl of hot Soup, or Cold Cucumber Soup Shots.
Best tips
I make this dish very often for obvious reasons. Due to this, I have a compilation of handy tips to make the best vegan pasta salad.
- While choosing pasta, pick the one that is certified vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and low on the glycemic index.
- Try alternate Non-flour dried pastas made from quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, brown rice or black beans. They have more protein and fiber than the regular ones.
- Cook it in vegetable stock for more flavor and to amp up its nutrition.
- Alternately, you can add a cup or two of broth or stock to a pan of boiling water, if you want to save on the stock/broth on hand to use another day.
- However, use homemade stock if possible. It's cost effective, low or sodium free and tastes much better.
- Use avocado oil or olive oil in the recipe.
- This recipe is 100% customizable. Feel free to add any veggies you have at hand.
- Can use any mushroom variety available to you.
- I have added them as whole but you can thinly slice them as well.
- You can substitute edamame with green peas.
- Season it based on your spice tolerance level.
- Use fresh or dried herbs.
- Serve this dish warm or cold.
- You can freeze it upto a week.
More Mushroom recipes
If you do try this Edamame Mushroom Vegan Pasta Salad or any other recipe from the blog, please let me know. I welcome your comments, star ratings, tweaks, and suggestions.
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Edamame & Mushroom Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta
- 5 cups vegetable stock/water
- Salt as required
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 cups mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen edamame
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chilly flakes
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt & pepper as required
- fat free cheese as required optional
Instructions
- Cook the bow tie pasta according to package directions for al dente.
- Drain and rinse the pasta under cool running water.
- Set it aside for now.
- In a sauce pan, add avocado oil, fry minced garlic and pine nuts for a few minutes till it turns light brown.
- Then add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until the water in it evaporates. Then they will be softened and cooked down. This could take 4-5 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Halfway through, add frozen edamame and cook it along with the mushrooms.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for few minutes till they turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add chopped bell peppers and continue to saute for another minute.
- Next add the seasonings like paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Then add the herbs like parsley and oregano. Mix and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked pasta along with lemon juice and toss it all together.
Notes
- While choosing pasta, pick the one that is certified vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and low on the glycemic index.
- Try alternate Non-flour dried pastas made from quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, brown rice or black beans. They have more protein and fiber than the regular ones.
- Cook it in vegetable stock for more flavor and to amp up its nutrition.
- Alternately, you can add a cup or two of broth or stock to a pan of boiling water, if you want to save on the stock/broth on hand to use another day.
- However, use homemade stock if possible. It's cost effective, low or sodium free and tastes much better.
- Use avocado oil or olive oil in the recipe.
- This recipe is 100% customizable. Feel free to add any veggies you have at hand.
- Can use any mushroom variety available to you.
- I have added them as whole but you can thinly slice them as well.
- You can substitute edamame with green peas.
- Season it based on your spice tolerance level.
- Use fresh or dried herbs.
- Serve this dish warm or cold.
- You can freeze it upto a week.
Nutrition
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As soon as I read the ingredients list I began to salivate. Looks and sounds like an amazing weeknight dinner.
Yes, absolutely! Hope you try it soon. 🙂
Such a wonderful pasta dish. I love the edamame in this. And it's also a nice dish for meal prep too. 🙂
Yes, I love edamame in all my pasta dishes!
Packed full of flavors! Such a delicious dinner any night of the week.
This dish has my name all over it. I'm a HUGE pasta fan, and love lots of chunky ingredients in with them. I can't wait to try this!
I am so glad you like it! yes, It's a great meal for a weeknight. 🙂 Thank you.
I love incorporating edamame in dishes. Will have to try this recipe as the flavors sound delish.
Me too! I am a big fan of edamame and don't miss a chance of adding them to any dish! 🙂