Quick & Easy Vegan Pasta Salad
Ingredients
16 oz. pasta (rotini, penne, bow ties, elbow)
1 can (15oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can (6oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
1 small red onion, sliced
8 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes (about 1 ½ cups), sliced in half
½ large cucumber, sliced and quartered (optional)
¼ – ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Vinaigrette
3 – 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar (white or red wine vinegar is great too)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence is ok too)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
generous pinch red pepper flakes
generous pinch mineral salt and fresh cracked pepper
juice of 1 lemon, optional
Directions
Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions to al dente. Drain and rinse until cold water.
Assemble: Pour pasta into a bowl, add tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, red onion and parsley. Pour the dressing over top and gently toss to coat.
Serve at room temperature or keep in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 days. Add more vinegar, oil and/or lemon as needed.
Add a sprinkle of almond parmesan for added flavor!
Notes
For convenience, use ¼ – ⅓ cup of your favorite Italian dressing. You may also like to try this Flax & Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette for variation.
Feel free to add or subtract any of the pasta salad ingredients. For the veggies, use diced or sliced, zucchini, cucumber, carrots, broccoli, or green onions.
The chickpeas can be optional, but do add a nice amount of protein, rounding out the nutritional profile and making this a good main dish.
*{Nutrition information includes chickpeas and 3 tablespoons olive oil.}