Is this pasta salad vegan?

If you use the recommended maple syrup instead of honey, and either omit or use a vegan option for the cheese, then yes, you will have a vegan pasta salad! It is vegetarian as written and then the sweetener and cheese you select will determine if it is dairy-free and/or vegan.

What type of pasta should I use?

I recommend short cut shapes, which means elbows, mini shells, or even penne pasta (I like the u003ca href=u0022https://amzn.to/3O9kYsCu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopener nofollowu0022u003eTinkyada brown rice elbowsu003c/au003e). These shapes are easy to eat with a fork and mix well with the other ingredients. You can use rice, bean, or corn options and of course if you aren't gluten-free, then you can also use wheat pasta.

Gluten-Free Italian Pasta Salad (Vegetarian)

Name: Gluten-Free Italian Pasta Salad (Vegetarian)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 12-ounce box gluten-free elbows or spirals; 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped; ½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped; ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved; 1 2-ounce can sliced black olives, drained; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (use a vegan alternative for dairy-free diets)

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 12–ounce box gluten-free elbows or spirals
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1/2 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 2–ounce can sliced black olives, drained
1/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (use a vegan alternative for dairy-free diets)

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Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
While the pasta cooks, place the red bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and olives, in a large mixing bowl. Set aside while you make the dressing.
In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, garlic, mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper. Whisk or cover and shake the jar until the dressing is combined.
When the pasta is done cooking, drain it in a colander. Rinse the cooked pasta with cool running water. Pour the cooked pasta into the mixing bowl with the vegetables.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and stir to combine all the ingredients.
Top the salad with the parmesan cheese and toss one last time before serving.
You can serve immediately or cover and refrigerate the pasta salad until you’re ready to serve it.

Notes

This recipe stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This recipe is very forgiving. You can get creative and use different types of cheese or vegetables. For instance, you can use crumbled feta cheese instead of Parmesan for more of a Greek flair.
If you want to add some greenery to your salad, you can top it with some finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Or, you can serve your pasta salad over a bed of baby spinach.

Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 366
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 315.8 mg
Fat: 17.2 g
Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
Carbohydrates: 46.4 g
Fiber: 6.4 g
Protein: 11 g
Cholesterol: 4.8 mg