As a small business owner and mom of two little kids, I am constantly on the go. I definitely don’t have time to make a healthy lunch every day, which means meal planning is key. I try to take a few hours each weekend to prep meals (or at least get them started) so I’m not reaching for the nearest bag of chips when I’m starving after my morning meetings. One of my favorite prep-ahead lunches is pasta salad. If you’re a fan of pasta salad too, make sure you check out my fresh veggie pasta salad and simple and warm winter veggie vegan pasta salad. Today, I’m sharing my Cold Vegan Greek Pasta Salad Recipe, which is just bursting with flavor.
Do you remember when gluten-free pasta first hit the shelves? It was awful! I remember the texture being sticky and the flavor tasting completely wrong. Nowadays, the gluten-free pasta options are SO much better. My favorite gluten-free pasta is a blend of brown rice and quinoa. It feels good knowing I’m getting a serving of plant-based protein while satisfying my cravings for carbs.
This Cold Vegan Greek Pasta Salad Recipe borrows ingredients from, you guessed it, Greek salad. I love making a Greek salad when I’m craving something savory, yet want to keep my meal light and healthy. Instead of feta, I make my Greek salad with kalamata olives. They provide just the right amount of saltiness in each bite. If you’re not a fan of black or green olives, I recommend giving kalamata olives a shot. They’re my favorite.
If you can boil water, you can make this Vegan Greek Pasta Salad. Our Dill Havarti Cheeze Spread makes the perfect creamy dressing and complements the other ingredients so flawlessly. I added more chopped dill to my pasta salad because I can’t get enough. Is there anything you would thow in? I think chickpeas or baked tofu would add great flavor and texture! Let me know if you make my Cold Vegan Greek Pasta Salad by tagging me on Instagram.
Peace.Love.Plants.
Tiffany
View More Vegan Recipes
Cold Vegan Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta (I used a GF quinoa/brown rice pasta)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- 2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
- 2½ cups seedless mini cucumber, halved
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 package Plant Perks Dill Havarti Cheeze Spread
- ½ lemon, squeezed
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and return to the pot. Toss the pasta with a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Meanwhile, chop up the red onion and place it in a bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and allow the red onion to soak while you prep the remaining ingredients (this helps cut the intensity of the raw onion).
- Place the tomatoes, cucumber halves, and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Scoop the Dill Havarti Cheeze Spread into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of water. Stir, adding a bit more water as needed, until the sauce is thick and creamy, yet pourable.
- Drain the water from the red onion and transfer it to the bowl with the veggies. Pour the cooked pasta in to the bowl and drizzle with some of the Dill Havarti Cheeze Spread (you might not use it all).
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the vegan greek pasta salad and sprinkle in the fresh dill. Toss to combine.
- Chill the pasta salad for at least an hour before serving.
✌️❤️🌱