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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Easy vegan pasta salad with avocado lime-basil aioli

    Last Modified: Jul 21, 2020 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    spoon serving up vegan pasta salad from a gray bowl
    overhead photo of vegan pasta salad in a serving bowl

    This satisfying, vegan pasta salad is crowd-pleasing and easy to make. The tangy, creamy avocado aioli dressing makes this cookout staple extra special.

    serving pasta salad with a wooden spoon

    Pasta salad is a must-have for cookouts and picnics, but that doesn't mean it has to be conventional. This creamy, citrusy Vegan Pasta Salad with Avocado Aioli is still a crowd-pleaser, but it's anything but run-of-the-mill.

    Confession: I am incredibly picky about pasta. Until recently, I would have flat out told you that I don't like pasta. But my family loves it, so I've been working hard to come up with pasta recipes we can all get behind.

    Jump To:
    • Tips for perfect pasta
    • Recipe notes
    • How to serve and store it
    • More easy pasta recipes
    • Vegan pasta salad recipe

    For me, a good pasta dish is packed with flavor, has lots of good texture, and doesn't take too much effort to make. This pasta salad fits the bill perfectly.

    Tips for perfect pasta

    Nailing the pasta is really the key to any pasta salad, since even with plenty of veggies and a flavorful dressing, the pasta is the star of the show.

    Here are my tips for making pasta that's perfect every time:

    • Use a huge pot with lots of water. The amount of water the the box calls for is not arbitrary, it turns out!
    • Stir frequently. Every 3-5 minutes, give the pot a stir. You won't be sorry!
    • Don't put oil into the pot, but do put some salt, if you like. There are different schools of thought on salting your pasta water, but I think a little bit of salt - maybe 2 teaspoons for a pound of pasta - makes a big difference in the taste.
    lime-basil avocado aioli ingredients

    Recipe notes

    The salad part of this pasta salad is super simple. Just toss cooked pasta with frozen peas, shredded carrots, and minced onion, and call it a day.

    Making the pasta is the bulk of the cooking time when you're preparing this recipe. Set your water to boil, and make the aioli while the shells cook up. 

    For the aioli, I wanted to create a dressing that packed a ton of flavor. This dressing uses half mayo and half avocado to the base. On top of that creamy goodness, you add plenty of fresh lime juice, basil, and garlic. Boom! Pow!

    To make the citrusy, basil-y aioli, just throw your ingredients into your blender, and puree until you have a smooth, creamy batch of dressing.

    By now, your pasta should be about ready to drain. Once you drain the pasta, you just toss it together with the veggies and sauce, and you're ready to serve.

    overhead photo of pasta salad in a glass mixing bowl

    How to serve and store it

    You can make this recipe up to a few days ahead of time. It will keep for three to five days in an airtight container in the fridge.

    I like to use my lidded Pyrex mixing bowl to make this. That way, I can toss, serve, and store this dish all in a single bowl. Fewer dishes to wash? Don't mind if I do!

    bowl of spaghetti casserole in front of the baking pan

    More easy pasta recipes

    Like I mentioned above, I'm super picky about pasta. These are some of the pasta recipes I've been making that my family loves (myself included!)

    • Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    • Spaghetti Casserole (pictured above)
    • Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
    • One-Pot Creamy Pasta Bake
    • Instant Pot Pasta with Tomato Pesto Cream Sauce
    spoon serving up vegan pasta salad from a gray bowl

    Vegan pasta salad recipe

    This satisfying, vegan pasta salad is crowd-pleasing and easy to make. The tangy, creamy avocado aioli dressing makes this cookout staple extra special.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: vegan pasta salad with avocado
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings as a side, 6 servings as a main dish
    Calories: 317kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the pasta salad

    • 1 batch Avocado Lime Basil Aioli Pasta Salad Dressing - (see below)
    • 1 16 ounce box of shell pasta - whole wheat or gluten free is fine, cooked
    • 1 cup frozen peas
    • 2 cups shredded carrots - or 1 cup minced carrots
    • ¼ cup minced red onion

    For the aioli

    • juice of 3 fresh limes
    • 1 Haas avocado
    • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
    • 1 cup vegan mayo
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • salt and black pepper - to taste

    Instructions

    Make the pasta salad.

    • Pour the frozen peas into your colander while the pasta is cooking. When the pasta is ready, pour it in over the peas. The heat will defrost them without overcooking! Rinse, as usual.
    • In a large bowl, toss the pasta and peas with the carrots, onion, and pasta salad dressing.
    • Chill until you’re ready to serve.

    Make the aioli.

    • Combine all of the dressing ingredients in your blender, and puree until completely smooth.

    Video

    Notes

    You can use the Avocado-Lime Basil Aioli on other foods too. It's a great sandwich spread in place of plain mayo, lovely on top of your favorite comfort bowl and delicious on tacos! The recipe above yields about 1 ½ cups of the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan pasta salad recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    317
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    15
    g
    23
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    10
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    126
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    276
    mg
    8
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    37
    g
    12
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    16
    %
    Sugar
     
    3
    g
    3
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3734
    IU
    75
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    8
    mg
    10
    %
    Calcium
     
    23
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Curried Couscous Salad with Sheet Pan Vegetables
    • Israeli Couscous Salad Recipe with Creamy Avocado Dressing
    • Vegan Stuffed Shells
    • 3-Cheese Vegan Baked Ziti

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Dianne

      June 25, 2019 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      I don't think I've ever met a vegan who doesn't like pasta! I applaud you for sticking it out and finding ways to make it so that you like it. I love pasta salads with creamy dressings and this one is incredible!

      Reply
    2. Meagan

      March 01, 2016 at 8:25 pm

      Do you know how long this would keep in the fridge? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        March 01, 2016 at 8:28 pm

        I'd say 2-3 days, depending on how cavalier you are about food safety. If it were me, I'd go 3. If it were for my toddler, I'd go 2. :)

        Reply
    3. Hannah

      June 02, 2015 at 7:32 pm

      Love. This. The idea of making a creamy pasta salad with avocado is especially exciting because I really dislike mayo. In my pregan days I always used creamy dressings for pasta salad over mayo. Loooving this recipe with the go ahead to double the avo :).

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 02, 2015 at 7:34 pm

        Thank you, Hannah! I made another batch this week with the double avo, and it went great.

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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