Super easy vegan pasta salad recipe

By: Vegan Agility Team Last updated: December 5, 2020

This incredible Vegan pasta salad with black beans and beetroot is loaded with so much flavor and nutritional health benefits that it has become one of our favorite vegan pasta salad recipes to turn to, especially when we want to ensure our nutrient intake is balanced correctly. Plus its super easy to make with minimal effort!

This vegan pasta salad can double up as a hot or cold pasta salad recipe but since summer is on the brink and the days are getting warmer we prefer to consume it cold since it helps to regulate your body temperature, plus there’s something fantastically mouth-watering about cold cherry tomatoes on a sunny day as you bite into them, or maybe it’s just me and my unique food indulgences 🙂

Let me know in the comments if you agree.

Key ingredients to add in a vegan pasta salad for maximum nutritional benefits

Spinach

• Spinach is one of those greens that work superbly in a wide range of recipes, from green juices and green smoothies to vegan stir fry and easy vegan salads. Spinach is loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as containing a significant amount of iron and magnesium.
• Spinach is relatively low carb but high in fiber, making it a brilliant leafy green for healthy weight management and overall digestive health.

Beets

• 1 cup of beets is able to provide up to 37% of your daily folate needs, which is a necessary B vitamin for blood cell metabolism, the production of DNA/RNA, and healthy brain function.
• Beets are an excellent addition to a hearty plant-based salad and go wonderful when juiced with kale or spinach. 

Black beans (catjang beans)

• Black beans are highly nutritious and are one of the best vegan foods for healthy plant-based protein consumption. Each 1 cup serving provides 28% of your minimum daily protein needs as well as 29% of your daily iron requirement, making them an excellent food source to boost the nutrients needed on a vegan diet.
• Black beans are also high in fiber, fulfilling 25% of your daily needs with every cup. Fiber has been shown to support a healthy digestive system and help to manage weight so black beans can be a good food source to keep the unwanted weight off.

Tomatoes

• Tomatoes are perfect for pasta salads, whether sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or juicy organically grown large tomatoes, they all have a place in a vegan pasta salad.
• Tomatoes are predominantly high in vitamins C and K plus come with a large supply of the antioxidant lycopene, which is great for overall heart health.
• They are also very low in calories with high juicy water content making them great for healthy weight management.

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat pasta as a vegan?

Pasta is typically made using a range of grains and wheat, with the most popular being durum wheat, rice, barley, or buckwheat. Some pasta may incorporate eggs in the pasta creation process, which means not every pasta or noodle is safe for vegans to cook with. Most of the popular kinds of pasta, such as whole-wheat, spaghetti, and fettuccine, are all free from eggs making them perfectly fine for vegans to consume. Although these popular pasta types are vegan friendly and safe for this delicious vegan pasta salad recipe, we always recommend double-checking the ingredients to ensure your pasta is free from all animal products just to be on the safe side.

How long will my vegan pasta salad last?

If prepared correctly, a vegan pasta salad can last between 3-5 days in the refrigerator. For the most optimal preservation, you should place paper towels over your vegan pasta salad to prevent moisture from affecting the vegetables in the bowl, especially the leafy greens. You then need to seal the pasta salad bowl with plastic wrap or cling film very tightly to prevent oxygen from shortening its preservation time.

Vegan pasta salad recipe

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Vegan pasta salad

Incredible vegan pasta salad with black beans

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan salad

Keyword: beets, black beans, pasta, salad, vegan

Servings: 3

Ingredients

Main salad ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 cups baby spinach
• ▢ 2 cups pasta any pasta will do (choose your favorite)
• ▢ 2 beets cooked and sliced
• ▢ 1 cup cooked black beans 1 can is sufficient
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• ▢ 1/4 cup green olives seedless and cut in half
• ▢ 3 scallions diced
• ▢ 1/2 tsp dried coriander
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh coriander
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt

Salad dressing ingredients

• ▢ 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves crushed
• ▢ 1 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1 tsp ground black pepper

Equipment

• Salad bowl
• Large pot
• Chopping board
• Knives

Instructions

• Bring a pot to boil. Add double the amount of water to the amount of pasta. Add some fine sea salt to give the pasta some flavor while boiling.
• Boil until cooked which is usually around 15 mins.(Double check the instructions on your chosen pasta to make sure the cooking time is sufficient). Ensure that you don't overcook the pasta which will make it too soft
• While the pasta is cooking mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic to form a salad dressing.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain the hot water off into a colander and run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from sticking and to cool down faster.
• Add the baby spinach leaves and black beans into a large salad bowl
• Add the cooled pasta, beans, and vegetables
• Add the salad dressing and gently blend the ingredients together allowing the dressing to evenly coat the pasta and vegetables. (adjust the amount of dressing to your liking)
• Sprinkle on some coriander and a touch of black pepper if you so desire.
• Serve and enjoy

Key nutrients

Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1405mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1921IU | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 29mg | Vitamin E: 5mg | Vitamin K: 118µg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg | Magnesium: 93mg | Zinc: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on your ingredients and tools.

Do you want more deliciously healthy vegan salad recipes?

Why not try out some of our alternative vegan salads that use a blend of different plant-based foods high in essential nutrients to achieve a delicious yet healthy result. These recipes allow you to get a bit creative with your salads while adding extra nutritional benefits that enhance the end result in both nutrients and flavor.

• Amazing vegan spinach salad packed with essential nutrients
• Delicious vegan quinoa salad loaded with protein

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