Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad (Vegan)
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Make a Mediterranean inspired vegan pasta salad. Tossed in a homemade lemon pesto sauce and tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and vegan feta cheese. Bring it to your next BBQ or pot luck, it will be a hit!
Mediterranean Vegan Pasta Salad
With Pesto
EASE: Very Easy!
CUISINE: Italian
COURSE: Side Dish
TIME: 25 Minutes
Vegan pasta salad is the perfect summer dish. I made this one bursting with Mediterranean ingredients like tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and feta cheese. Now my feta is vegan, but you can easily swap it out for traditional feta. I will let you in on a secret, vegan feta is the only cheese that tastes just like the dairy version!
I also make this with my homemade lemon pesto recipe. It’s really Genovese pesto with lots of lemon. You can make the pesto at home or buy it at the store. If Genovese is not your favorite, try using pesto rosso or sun-dried tomato pesto.
You can serve this salad anytime you want. I find that it’s great for get togethers such as BBQs or pot lucks. I also make it as part of meal prepping when I want something fast and easy to eat during the week.
Key Ingredient Notes
Pasta Shape
You will want to use pasta where the pesto can nestle in the nooks. Orecchiette. cavatappi, rotini, fusilli, and farfalle are all good choices.
Pesto
I wrote this recipe using my homemade lemon pesto. Which is Genovese pesto with lots of lemon! If you are not a big lemon fan, stick with standard Genovese or sun-dried tomato pesto. For a smokier flavor, try roasted red pepper pesto.
Roasted Corn
Use either fresh or frozen corn. My personal favorite is frozen nibbler sweet corn. The nibblers are easier to shave the corn off, which creates a dramatic look!
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and measurements.
Step by Step Instructions
Step One: Roast the Corn
Preheat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Place the cob or spread corn kernels in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20–30 minutes, stirring in the middle. To char the corn, place it under the broiler on high. Keep a close eye because corn can go from charred to burned quickly.
Alternative Cooking Method: Preheat your air fryer to 400 °F (200 °C). Place corn on the cob or spread corn kernels in a single layer in the basket and air fry for 10–15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Step Two: Cook the Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from further cooking.
Step Three: Add the Pesto
Toss the pasta in pesto. If the pesto is thick, in a separate bowl add one tablespoon of olive oil and mix until it’s fully incorporated. If the pest is still thick repeat until you reach a spreadable consistency.
Step Four: Mix and Serve
Add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted corn, red onion, and basil, and toss. Add salt and pepper to your personal taste. Right before serving, toss in the feta cheese and fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, mint, or basil).
Personalize This Recipe
- Add your favorite veggies including artichoke hearts, arugula, or bell peppers. You can add diced avocado to create a creamy pasta salad.
- Add protein by adding chickpeas or white beans.
- Bring more Mediterranean flavor by adding kalamata olives. Black olives for a milder flavor.
- Make it cool (or should I say cooler) by adding fresh mint.
Diet Modifications
- Whole food plant-based: You need to make a two modifications to make this WFPB. First, use pasta made from whole wheat, brown rice, lentils, or chickpeas. Next, make a WFPB pesto. I recommend the Forks Over Knives pesto recipe. If the pesto seems to dry, you can add extra water in one-tablespoon increments until you have the right texture.
- Gluten-free: Swap out the pasta for a GF version. I recommend the Banza chickpea pasta salads. Other GF pasta options include whole wheat, brown rice, and lentil.
Perfect Pairings
Pasta salads go hand in hand with summer get-togethers and BBQs. Pair your vegan pasta salad with any of these side dishes.
How to Store
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. Before serving, give it a quick toss. You might need to add additional pesto, olive oil or lemon juice to freshen the flavors.
If you made this vegan pasta salad or any other recipe from my blog, please leave a star rating. I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comments below!
Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 medium sized saucepan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 chef knife
Ingredients
- 12 oz short pasta like fusilli, orecchiette, or farfalle
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup roasted corn fresh or frozen, charred in a skillet or grilled
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup lemon pesto homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup crumbled vegan feta
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Roast the Corn
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Place the corn on the cob or spread 1 cup of corn kernels (fresh or frozen) in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20–30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The kernels will cook faster than the cob, so keep an eye on them. For a charred finish, place the corn under the broiler on high for the last few minutes. Be careful, as corn can go from charred to burned quickly.
Cook the Pasta
- Cook 12 oz of short pasta (like fusilli, orecchiette, or farfalle) according to the package instructions. Once done, remove from heat, drain, and rinse under cold water to cool it down.
Add the Pesto
- The pesto should have a smooth texture for easy spreading. If it’s too coarse, stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil to loosen it. Add ½ cup of lemon pesto (homemade or store-bought) to the pasta and toss until evenly coated.
Add the Veggies
- Add 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup of roasted corn, ¼ cup of diced red onion, and ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil to the pasta. Toss everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
- Just before serving, gently toss in ½ cup of crumbled vegan feta and any extra fresh herbs you’d like to add, such as parsley, mint, or extra basil.
Nutrition
More Recipes With Pasta….
- Try sun-dried tomato orzo pasta salad. The sun-dried tomato is a pesto that is filled with rich tomato flavor. My friend calls it ‘summer is a bowl’.
- Lemon pasta, pasta al limon. It’s light, fresh and easy to make!
- Creamy tahini pasta is one of my favorites. You can make it in 30 minutes and it’s filled with zucchini and golden tomatoes.
