I’ve put together a vegan pasta salad that pops with creamy red pepper sauce and crunchy herby crumbs. It hits the table looking bright and smells smoky-rich, so simple yet more exciting than any average side dish.
But I kept ending up with mushy pasta or dry leftovers on weeknights with kids around. A tip: I started saving pasta water and generate semantic keywords for mix-ins so each forkful stays saucy.
It works because you toast bread and walnuts in just 8 to 10 minutes for a crisp topping that’s so easy to stir in. The pasta cooks two minutes longer than the box says so it stays soft at room temp. You finish in 20 quick minutes.
If you want another pasta salad to try, check out Creamy Spicy Tuna Pasta Salad.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Creamy, smoky sauce. The romesco-inspired sauce blends roasted peppers and toasted walnuts in a food processor, giving rich creaminess that clings to every twist of pasta.
- Zesty, crunchy topping. Fresh basil, parsley, capers and toasted bread crumbs mix just before serving for bright herb notes and crispy bits that stay crisp.
- Ideal make-ahead prep. You can blend the sauce and crumbs up to two days ahead, then boil pasta and toss in minutes for less last-minute work.
- Stays tender when chilled. Cooking pasta a couple minutes beyond al dente prevents it from firming up when cooled, so it remains soft and keeps absorbing sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Ridged pasta: Choose fusilli, rotini, or penne rigate so sauce clings in nooks; it holds the sauce better when tossed and chilled.
- Jarred roasted red bell peppers: Grab a 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers; drain them so they add smoky sweetness and velvety texture to the sauce.
- Raw walnuts: Toast raw walnuts until lightly browned to boost umami, add richness, and help thicken the sauce’s creamy body.
- Sourdough or country loaf: Tear into chunks, pulse into crumbs, then use half for the sauce and half for the herby topping.
- Fresh basil and parsley: Chop basil and parsley finely so the herb mix brings bright flavor and color to the breadcrumb topping.
- Baby arugula: Roughly chop baby arugula for a peppery bite and leafy green that folds into the salad without overpowering the sauce.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips
- When cooking 1 pound of pasta, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt to the boiling water so the pasta tastes well-seasoned.
- If you serve the pasta salad chilled, cook pasta 2 minutes beyond the box’s al dente upper cook time so it stays soft when cooled.
- When draining pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water before rinsing to help loosen the thick sauce and improve coating.
- If you assemble ahead, toss warm pasta with half the sauce and ½ to ¾ cup pasta water, refrigerate, then before serving add remaining sauce and extra water.
- When making bread crumbs, use the pulse function in your processor instead of continuous blending to keep small bits for the herby topping.
Serving Suggestions
- Place grilled tofu skewers next to pasta salad. Slide skewers onto plates. Drizzle lemon juice over tofu. Scatter parsley leaves.
- Arrange charred corn salad beside pasta salad. Place tuna pasta at one corner. Add cucumber ribbons across platter. Top cucumber with dill sprigs.
- Grill vegan sausages until char marks appear. Slice sausages and arrange around pasta salad. Scatter pickled peppers. Drizzle olive oil.
Storage Guidelines
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container at 40°F for up to 5 days. Add olive oil and lemon juice before serving.
- Freezer Storage: Transfer to a freezer container. Freeze at 0°F for up to 3 months. Squeeze bag to remove air before sealing.
- Thawing: Move frozen salad to an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator at 40°F overnight. Let sit 30 minutes before tossing with extra pasta water.
More Similar Recipes
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Vegan Pasta Salad
This Vegan Pasta Salad is guaranteed to steal the show at all your summer picnics and barbecues. Perfectly cooked pasta is tossed with a creamy, slightly smoky romesco-inspired sauce, then topped with a zingy, herby bread crumb topping for maximal freshness and flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli, rotini, or penne rigate (a ridged pasta)
- 1 cup (112g) raw walnuts
- 5 ounces (140g) sourdough loaf, baguette, or country-style bread, sliced
- 1 (12-ounce/340g) jar of roasted red bell peppers , drained from the liquid in the jar
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced (3 tablespoons juice; save the zest for the topping)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (use 1 teaspoon for prominent smokiness)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup (75g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup reserved bread crumbs from sauce
- reserved lemon zest from topping
- 1 cup (16g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups (24g) fresh basil, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers, chopped (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 3 cups (60g) baby arugula, chopped
Instructions
- Arrange bread slices on a sheet pan and tuck walnuts into the empty spots. Slide the pan into a 350°F oven and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing the walnuts and flipping the bread halfway so the nuts brown lightly and the bread shows a bit of golden color.
- Tear the toasted bread into small pieces and add them to a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until you have coarse crumbs with little bits of texture, keeping the processor off continuously to avoid a fine powder.
- Add half your toasted crumbs to the processor along with roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Process until a thick paste forms, scrape down the sides, then stream in olive oil until the sauce is smooth and thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer room temperature pasta to a large bowl and pour the red pepper sauce over it. Use a silicone spatula to move the pasta gently and spread the sauce evenly.
- Add about ¾ cup of reserved pasta water and toss so the sauce loosens and clings to each piece. If the mixture feels too thick, add a little more water until it looks saucy.
- Fold in chopped arugula and any other mix-ins you like—diced roasted peppers or seasonal tomatoes work well—and toss until the greens soften slightly and the flavors meld.
- Before serving, sprinkle the reserved herby bread crumb topping over the salad and toss gently so you get bursts of fresh herbs and crunchy crumbs in every bite.
Notes
- When cooking 1 pound of pasta, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt to the boiling water so the pasta tastes well-seasoned.
- If you serve the pasta salad chilled, cook pasta 2 minutes beyond the box’s al dente upper cook time so it stays soft when cooled.
- When draining pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water before rinsing to help loosen the thick sauce and improve coating.
- If you assemble ahead, toss warm pasta with half the sauce and ½ to ¾ cup pasta water, refrigerate, then before serving add remaining sauce and extra water.
- When making bread crumbs, use the pulse function in your processor instead of continuous blending to keep small bits for the herby topping.
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