This is a creamy, filling pasta salad made entirely from plants โ spiral pasta tossed with vegan mayo, whole-grain mustard, black beans, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, and carrots. It comes together in 35 minutes and works as a main dish or a side. The black beans push the protein to 26 grams per serving, so it actually holds you.
The technique that matters
Two things decide whether this salad is good or just okay. First, rinse the cooked pasta under cold water until it is genuinely cold, not just warm โ warm pasta absorbs the dressing too fast and turns the whole bowl gluey. Second, taste the dressed salad before it goes to the table and adjust the salt. The black beans and olives bring some sodium, but the pasta itself is a blank slate, and under-seasoned pasta salad is the most common reason people find it flat. Season in layers: salt the pasta water, then taste again after dressing.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the cold-water rinse on the pasta: Hot pasta keeps cooking in the bowl and turns mushy. Run cold water over it until you can comfortably hold a piece between your fingers.
- Not draining the black beans thoroughly: Excess liquid from the can dilutes the dressing and makes the bottom of the bowl watery. Rinse the beans, then let them sit in the strainer for a minute before adding them.
- Adding the cucumber without patting it dry: Cucumber releases water as it sits. After cubing it, spread it on a paper towel and press gently โ this keeps the dressing from getting watery within the first hour.
- Using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil without blotting them: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are great here, but blot them briefly or the extra oil will separate from the mayo-mustard dressing and pool at the bottom.
- Dressing the salad too far ahead without tasting again before serving: Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. If you must dress it early, hold back a tablespoon of vegan mayo and stir it in right before serving to refresh the creaminess.
Ingredient notes
- Vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise): Vegenaise is the brand called out in the original recipe. Any store-brand vegan mayo works. Avoid whipped or low-fat versions โ they are thinner and the dressing will not cling to the pasta.
- Whole-grain mustard: This is the coarse, seedy kind, not yellow ballpark mustard and not smooth Dijon. The seeds add small bursts of flavor and a little texture. If you only have smooth Dijon, use 3 tablespoons instead of 4 โ it is sharper.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Dry-packed (the kind in a bag) need to be rehydrated in warm water for 10 minutes before chopping, or they will be too chewy. Oil-packed are ready to use straight from the jar.
Leftovers and meal prep
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb the dressing overnight, so the salad will look drier on day two โ stir in a tablespoon of vegan mayo and a small splash of water to loosen it back up. If you are prepping this ahead for a gathering, keep the cucumber and carrots in a separate container and stir them in within an hour of serving so they stay crisp. Do not freeze this salad; the mayo-based dressing breaks when thawed and the pasta texture suffers.
Creamy Vegan Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta spiral
- ยฝ cup vegan mayonnaise vegan
- ยผ cup mustard whole-grain
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ยฝ cup tomatoes sun-dried
- 1 can black beans rinsed
- 1 medium olives sliced
- 1 medium cucumber peeled and cubed
- ยฝ cup carrots julienned
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water dashed with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the spiral pasta as directed on the package.
- Rinse the cooked spiral pasta with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking and cool them down.
- Add the spiral pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add Vegenaise, ground mustard, salt, black pepper, black beans, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, and other veggies.
- Mix until all ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Serve warm temperature or chill in the fridge until serving.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes โ any short pasta with ridges or curves works well. Rotini, fusilli, farfalle, and penne all hold the creamy dressing better than smooth shapes like ziti or elbow macaroni, which tend to let it slide off.
How do I know if I have added enough dressing?
Every piece of pasta should look lightly coated, not dry, and not swimming. Start by adding all the mayo and mustard, toss thoroughly, then check โ if the pasta looks chalky or the bowl looks dry, add another tablespoon of vegan mayo and toss again.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, swap in your preferred gluten-free spiral pasta. Cook it on the shorter end of the package time since gluten-free pasta overcooks quickly and becomes mushy in a cold salad โ rinse it very thoroughly with cold water right away to stop the cooking.