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Vegan pasta salad with fresh, crunchy veggies and a creamy mayo-based ranch dressing is the perfect lunchtime recipe.
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Quote me: The best kind of salad is the kind with pasta in it.
This vegan ranch pasta salad has all the goods: rotini pasta, homemade vegan ranch, raw broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and cucumbers. Every bite explodes with creamy flavor and both runchy and soft textures.
Not to mention, this salad recipe is incredibly easy to make and a crowd-pleasing dish for vegan and non-vegans alike.
Ingredients
You can easily use any of your favorite crisp, colorful vegetables to make this recipe. Reminder: You can find the detailed, printable recipe in the recipe card below.
- Rotini pasta. I love the springy, chewy texture of this spiral-shaped pasta. You can also find it in a tricolor version, as I used here. Feel free to use a different short pasta if you like.
- Cucumber and cherry tomatoes. These add a refreshing crunch to the salad.
- Carrots. I love the pop of orange. Dice your carrots nice and small so they aren't too hard to eat in the salad.
- Cauliflower and broccoli. These aren't your typical pasta salad ingredients, but I love how they bulk up the salad with extra nutrients and flavor.
- Peas. For a bit of springtime freshness, use sweet green peas. Just let frozen peas defrost, no need to cook them.
- Ranch dressing. Find my homemade vegan ranch recipe here. It's one of the most popular reicpes on the blog! Of course, as a quick shortcut, you can use your favorite bottled ranch dressing as well.
Ingredient Substitutions & Swaps
- Gluten-free vegan pasta salad. You can simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Banza chickpea pasta is really tasty.
- Other veggies. Mix and match other diced fresh vegetables if you like. Some others that work well in this recipe are celery, bell peppers, jalapeño, radishes, shredded cabbage, and more.
- Cooked Veggies. If you prefer softer vegeatbles, you can quickly blanch the cauliflower and broccoli in boiling water until they're bright and crisp-tender. Then cool them in an ice bath before adding them to the pasta salad.
Storage
Store leftover vegan ranch pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It's a great make-ahead recipe to bring to a potluck or picnic with friends.
More Vegan Side Dishes to Try
- Broccoli Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing
- Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Grilled Corn
Trying to go vegan? Sign up for our (FREE) Vegan Beginner's Guide!
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Recipe
Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ cup vegan ranch
- 1 pound rotini pasta - or pasta of choice
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup broccoli - cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cauliflower - cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup peas - canned, or steamed and cooled
- 2 carrots - chopped
- 1 cucumber - chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- In the meantime, make the ranch dressing and prepare the veggies.
- Let the pasta cool (to speed this up, rinse with cold water). In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the prepared vegetables and ranch.
- Serve cold.
