Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
This lemon basil pasta salad is bright, herby and tossed with wholesome veggies. A tasty and lighter take on traditional pasta salads.
I’m here to tell you that not all pasta salads are the same and no you do not have to add any mayo to them. They can be herby, bright with flavor and tossed with a lot of veggies to even make it wholesome if you want to. So if you’re ready to expand your world of pasta salads, definitely add this one to the list to try.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
- No mayo pasta salad. To keep the creaminess, but make this completely dairy-free we are using some vegan yogurt.
- Easy to prep. There are just 3 main steps to this pasta salad. First, cook your veggies and pasta. Second, blend your sauce. Third, toss everything together. That’s it!
- Great to meal prep. Pasta salad tends to make a lot, so store leftovers and use them to make tasty meal preps. See below for tips on what proteins to add.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta: Choose the pasta shape you love best. I went with Orecchiette. You can also opt to use a gluten-free pasta that you love.
- Herbs: I used a combination of basil and parsley.
- Yogurt: To make this dairy-free I used plain unsweetened plant based yogurt. For reference, I like using Forager Project or Silk’s Soy yogurt for this.
- Lemon: Use fresh lemon.
- Miso Paste: This will help give us some more umami flavor to our sauce. You can swap with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Zucchini: You can use summer squash as the closest alternative. If you prefer a different vegetable consider options like roasted broccoli or cauliflower.
- Onion: I used red onion, but feel free to swap with a shallot or yellow onion.
- Artichoke Hearts: Make sure they are the type that are marinated in a jar. Feel free to leave these out if prefered or swap with some sliced sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red pepper.
- Spinach: You can swap this green for some arugula if you prefer.
How to Make This Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Place your zucchini pieces on a clean towel and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Allow the zucchini to sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out excess water then pat dry.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Add the cold pasta to a large mixing bowl with the spinach and artichoke hearts.
Place a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and saute until softened. Transfer the cooked onions to the mixing bowl.
Add the lemon halves and zucchini to opposite sides of the pan cut side down. Cook the zucchini undisturbed for 3 minutes or until it begins to caramelize, then flip and repeat. Cook the lemon undisturbed until the bottoms have caramelized, about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and add the zucchini to the mixing bowl.
To a blender cup, add the basil, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, pepitas, yogurt, miso paste, the remaining oil, the juice of the cooked lemon and a pinch of salt. Blend the mixture until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
Pour half the dressing over the pasta and give it a good mix to fully combine. Add more dressing as desired or use any extra when serving.
Expert Tips
- Add more greens and vegetables to your liking. Feel free to swap in or add more of your favorite vegetables to the bowl.
- For better caramelization, make sure to place your vegetables cut side down in your pan. Also, make sure to avoid overcrowding your pan. Cooking the vegetables this way will prevent them from getting soggy.
- If the sauce is too tangy, adjust with a little sweetener. How tangy your sauce is will depend a lot on the type of yogurt you are using, so adjust flavors to taste.
- Avoid overcooking your ingredients. Cook the pasta until al dente, but also make sure you are searing your veggies to help maintain a good textural bite to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to swap regular pasta for your favorite gluten-free pasta. I love making this pasta salad with a high-protein gluten-free pasta. Typically this type of pasta is made with pulses like chickpeas or lentils. Popular brands include Barilla and Banza Pasta.
If meal prepping, store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container. Place in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
This pasta salad is meant to be enjoyed cold. Make sure to cool your pasta and allow the vegetables to come to room temperature before adding to the mixing bowl.
Make It a Meal
This pasta can be served as a side and can be accompanied with any of the following choices for more protein:
- Stir in a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or white beans to the pasta salad
- Serve topped with crunchy roasted chickpeas or lentils
- Crispy tofu
- Sprinkle with some hemp hearts when serving
More Vegan Summer Side Recipes
- White Bean and Zucchini Salad
- Grilled Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons
- Southwest Chickpea Black Bean Salad
- Chimichurri Corn Tacos
- Lemon Garlic White Bean Dip
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This lemon basil pasta salad is bright, herby and tossed with wholesome veggies. A tasty and lighter take on traditional pasta salads.
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch half moons
- 8 oz of orecchiette pasta
- 2–3 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 1, 6.5 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts, diced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 medium lemon, fully zested and cut in half
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, stems removed
- 1–2 cloves of garlic, grated (to taste)
- 3 tbsp pepitas or sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup plain unsweetened plant based yogurt
- 1 tsp yellow miso paste
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Place your zucchini pieces on a clean towel and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Allow the zucchini to sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out excess water then pat dry.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Add the cold pasta to a large mixing bowl with the spinach and artichoke hearts.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until softened. Transfer the cooked onions to the mixing bowl.
- Add the lemon halves and zucchini to opposite sides of the pan cut side down. Cook the zucchini undisturbed for 3 minutes or until it begins to caramelize, then flip and repeat. Cook the lemon undisturbed until the bottoms have caramelized, about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and add the zucchini to the mixing bowl.
- To a blender cup, add the basil, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, pepitas, yogurt, miso paste, the remaining oil, the juice of the cooked lemon and a pinch of salt. Blend the mixture until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
- Pour half the dressing over the pasta and give it a good mix to fully combine. Add more dressing as desired or use any extra when serving.
Notes
Add more greens and vegetables to your liking. Feel free to swap in or add more of your favorite vegetables to the bowl.
For better caramelization, make sure to place your vegetables cut side down in your pan. Also, make sure to avoid overcrowding your pan. Cooking the vegetables this way will prevent them from getting soggy.
If the sauce is too tangy, adjust with a little sweetener. How tangy your sauce is will depend a lot on the type of yogurt you are using, so adjust flavors to taste.
Avoid overcooking your ingredients. Cook the pasta until al dente, but also make sure you are searing your veggies to help maintain a good textural bite to them.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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