• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Damn Tasty Vegan
  • Vegan Spring Recipes
  • Recipe index
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Spring Recipes
  • Recipe index
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Contact
  • Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Spring Recipes
    • Recipe index
    • Lifestyle
    • About
    • Contact
  • Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Grilled Vegetable Garden Pasta Salad (Dairy Free)

    Published: Jun 5, 2020 · Modified: Jul 31, 2023 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This garden pasta salad is filled with perfectly seasoned grilled zucchini, bell peppers and fresh cherry tomatoes and arugula. Homemade delicious Italian dressing pulls it all together. Fantastic vegan pasta salad to take to a party and share with a friend. Perfect vegan summer bbq side dish.

    Grilled vegetable pasta salad in a large glass serving bowl.

    If you're a fan of pasta and summer salads, check out this Dairy Free Balsamic Pasta Salad, Southwest Quinoa Black Bean Salad, Vegan Taco Pasta Salad, Kale Tahini Salad with chickpeas and this Applebee's Copycat Vegan Oriental Chicken Salad.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🥬 Ingredients & Substitutions
    • 👩‍🍳 Recipe tips
    • 🔪 Directions
    • ❄️ Storing
    • ❓ Recipe FAQs
    • 🥙 More delicious salad recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • It’s a great way to use up all those veggies from your own garden and it's a super easy recipe.
    • A cold garden pasta salad is the perfect dinner for a hot, muggy summer night. It whips together so easily and won’t make you feel heavy and gross.
    • Great to take to family gatherings or a summer bbq. It feeds a crowd really well.
    • Extremely versatile. Use whatever vegetables are abundant in your garden and in season.

    🥬 Ingredients & Substitutions

    Ingredients for grilled veggie pasta salad arranged in a large glass serving bowl.

    The beauty of this easy pasta salad is its versatility. Swap out any vegetables or ingredients for your favorites.

    Grilled vegetables - You can use whatever fresh vegetables are your personal preference, but my favorite are: zucchini, red onion and red bell pepper since they are abundant in the summer time. Feel free to use yellow peppers, green pepper or

    Arugula - I love the peppery kick that this green adds to the salad. Feel free to use kale or spinach if you don't like arugula.

    Cherry Tomatoes - Grape tomatoes are also delicious. Another abundant fruit in the summer. This adds some nice acidity and juiciness to the salad.

    Northern beans - You can also use chickpeas. Beans add a nice protein to this pasta salad, without using meat.

    Marinated artichoke hearts - This adds a delicious flavor to the pasta salad.

    Olives - I love using kalamata olives, but black olives also work.

    Fresh basil - Fresh herbs level this recipe up. Feel free to use fresh parsley as well.

    Pasta - I love using spiral, bow tie or rotini pasta because it collects the dressing in it better than other pasta shapes.

    Vegan Italian dressing - You can use a store bought bottle for convenience, but it's very easy to make your own Homemade Zesty Italian Dressing. at home. Just use some extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. Picking a good vinegar is key, lemon juice, mustard, salt, black pepper and some Italian seasoning.

    Add red pepper if you like a little spice. If you have some vegan parmesan cheese on hand, add that in as well. Make a big batch of this in a medium glass jar to have in the fridge all week.

    👩‍🍳 Recipe tips

    Make sure not to over cook the pasta. Cook it al dente.

    If you want an even easier way to make this, use a store bought Italian dressing instead of making it yourself. Just check the ingredients that it doesn’t have cheese in it.

    Get your hands on some Violife vegan parmesan, or dairy free feta cheese. It tastes so good in this dairy free pasta salad.

    If you don’t feel like grilling the vegetables, it works to sauté them as well. They taste amazing if you use a cast iron skillet.

    🔪 Directions

    Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.

    Rotini pasta boiling in a pot on the stove.

    Step one: First, boil pasta. Make sure not to cook too it much. Follow the package directions to cook it al dente. Rinse the tender pasta under cold water after it cooks to stop it from over cooking and getting mushy.

    Bell peppers, zucchini and mushrooms grilling on a grill.

    Step two: Season and grill your vegetables. Season your grilled veggies with some steak seasoning, or just good ol’ plain salt. Whatever you do, don’t leave them bland and unseasoned. Also make sure to brush them with a little olive oil.

    Vegan Italian dressing in a mason jar with a black spoon.

    Step three: Make your vegan Italian dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a mason jar.

    Serving bowl of garden pasta salad with grilled vegetables.

    Step four: Assemble everything together in a bowl and let it sit for at least an hour in the fridge. Overnight is best.

    ❄️ Storing

    This grilled veggie pasta salad tastes even better when it’s had a chance to sit in the fridge for a day. Make this the day before a party or bbq to really let the flavors sink in. This will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.

    Freezer - I haven't tried to freeze this recipe and I recommend you eat it fresh or as leftovers from the fridge. The vegetables and fresh herbs might get mushy after frozen.

    ❓ Recipe FAQs

    What can I serve with pasta salad?

    Pasta salad is a great side dish for any summer cookout or potluck. Try it with some Meaty seitanvegan ribs or a Vegan seitan steak. Try it with this delicious Lentil sloppy Joe and a side of Vegan potato salad.

    It also goes well with a Grilled portobello mushroom burger or a Nashville hot tempeh sandwich

    How long does garden pasta salad last in the fridge?

    Pasta salad lasts about 5-7 days in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container. It always tastes better the next day. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it gets because the flavors marinate.

    Can I use different garden vegetables?

    Yes, absolutely. This recipe is very versatile. Use whatever your fresh veggies are your favorite. This is a great way to eat up vegetables that are growing in your garden. Some other good vegetables to put in this salad are:
    Grilled mushrooms
    Grilled onions
    Fresh broccoli florets
    Carrots
    Green onions

    Can I make this gluten free?

    Yes! This recipe is very easy to make gluten free. Just use a gluten free pasta. Chickpea or lentil pasta seem to stay more firm and less gummy than brown rice pasta, I've noticed. Make sure to not over cook the pasta, as gluten free pasta can become gummy very easily.

    🥙 More delicious salad recipes

    • Orzo with cashew cream and roasted vegetables in a bowl.
      Creamy vegan orzo with chickpeas and roasted vegetables
    • Close up of southern cucumber tomato salad in a glass serving bowl.
      Southern Cucumber with Tomato Salad
    • Vegan summer rolls cut in half and in a glass bowl.
      Easy Vegan Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
    • Overhead view of large mixing bowl filled with rainbow salad.
      Crunchy rainbow salad

    If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Bowl of vegan pasta salad

    Grilled Vegetable Garden Pasta Salad (Dairy Free)

    Easy, healthy and delicious grilled vegetable pasta salad. Fantastic vegan summer salad to take to a party and share with a friend. Grilled vegetables and pasta come together in an easy, homemade vegan Italian dressing. Tastes even better when it’s sat in the fridge for a day.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 11 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 406kcal
    Author: Maria
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric

    Italian dressing

    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup white wine vinegar (can also use red wine vinegar)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 clove garlic (pressed or minced)
    • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1½ teaspoon salt (or salt to taste)
    • ¼ cup finely grated Violife vegan parmesan (optional )
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Pasta salad

    • 1 lb bag of pasta (cooked al dente)
    • 2 small zucchinis
    • 1-2 bell peppers
    • ½ red onion
    • ¼ cup kalamata olives
    • ½ cup jarred artichoke hearts
    • Handful of cherry tomatoes
    • Handful of baby arugula (optional)
    • 16 oz can of cannellini or great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
    • Violife vegan feta cheese (optional but tastes really good in this)
    • Top with fresh basil and grated vegan parmesan cheese at the end

    Instructions

    • Grill or sauté the zucchini, peppers and onions. Tastes really good to season with salt or a steak seasoning. Brush with a little olive oil if grilling.
      2 small zucchinis, 1-2 bell peppers, ½ red onion
    • Cook your pasta according to the package. Drain and rinse with cold water
      1 lb bag of pasta
    • Chop up your olives, artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Drain and rinse your white beans. Add them to a large mixing bowl with the cooked pasta and grilled vegetables.
      ¼ cup kalamata olives, ½ cup jarred artichoke hearts, Handful of cherry tomatoes, 16 oz can of cannellini or great northern beans, Handful of baby arugula
    • Mix together the dressing ingredients in a jar. Shake well, and pour over the pasta salad
      ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 clove garlic, 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ cup finely grated Violife vegan parmesan
    • Top with some fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese

    Video

    Notes

    Make sure not to over cook the pasta. Cook it al dente.
    If you want an even easier way to make this, use a store bought Italian dressing instead of making it yourself. Just check the ingredients that it doesn’t have cheese in it.
    Get your hands on some Violife vegan parmesan, or dairy free feta cheese. It tastes so good in this dairy free pasta salad.
    If you don’t feel like grilling the vegetables, it works to sauté them as well. They taste amazing if you use a cast iron skillet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1535mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1112IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    More Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Tofu bolognese sauce with pasta on a white plate.
      Easy Vegan Tofu Bolognese Pasta Sauce
    • Vegan taco pasta salad in a glass serving bowl.
      Creamy Vegan Taco Pasta Salad
    • Close up of lentil lasagna
      Dairy free lasagna
    • Plate of homemade vegan pasta noodles with sauce
      How To Make Vegan Pasta Dough At Home (Egg Free Pasta Dough)

    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori

      June 16, 2022 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy

      Reply
    5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Woman with sunglasses sipping a green juice with a straw.

    Hi, I'm Maria Rose! I'm a professional singer by night, and recipe developer by day. I run this blog and am also the creator of the One Month (30 minute) Meal Plan. I love helping people learn how to cook easy and delicious plant based meals.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fresh Spring Recipes

    • Israeli couscous salad in a serving dish.
      Israeli couscous salad (pearl couscous)
    • Overhead view of large mixing bowl filled with rainbow salad.
      Crunchy rainbow salad
    • Roasted asparagus on a plate
      Easy air fryer asparagus
    • Orzo with cashew cream and roasted vegetables in a bowl.
      Creamy vegan orzo with chickpeas and roasted vegetables
    • Couscous stuffed peppers topped with melted vegan cheese in a casserole dish.
      Vegan Chickpea and Couscous Stuffed Peppers
    • Instant pot sweet potato curry in a bowl over quinoa.
      Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas and Kale

    Popular Posts

    • Sticky glazed maple miso tofu in a pink bowl on top of rice.
      Sticky Glazed Maple Miso Tofu
    • Vegan Jackfruit Nachos
      Easy jackfruit nachos
    • Piece of bread dipped in vegan fondue
      Easiest vegan fondue (dairy free cheese fondue)
    • Crispy tofu cubes in a glass bowl.
      How To Make Crispy Tofu (Baked & Pan Fried)
    • Baked potato without foil on a plate topped with butter.
      Perfect baked potato (without foil)
    • Close up of banana protein pancakes with bananas and strawberries on top.
      Banana Protein Pancakes without Eggs

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Information

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Get your free Vegan High Protein Grocery List Download!

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Damn Tasty Vegan on the Foodie Pro Theme

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    glass bowl of pasta salad for pinterest

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.