This fresh, brightly coloured pasta salad is popping with delicious classic antipasto ingredients and tossed in a zesty homemade Italian lemon vinaigrette.
You know what I love? Pasta. You know what else I love? Anything from the antipasto bar. You know what’s even better? The marriage of the two!
This antipasto pasta salad started off as just a way to use up some jars of open olives and canned chickpeas that were on their way out. However, this recipe came together so brilliantly that it is a must share! I am SO looking forward to the day that Covid lockdowns are behind us and we can gather and celebrate around food again, because I can just imagine how big of a hit this antipasto pasta salad will be at potlucks, BBQ’s and wherever else people are hungry.
Outside of this pasta salad being super delicious, the best part about it is the total flexibility of the dish. The recipe I have listed is the version and combination of ingredients I most commonly try to use. However, there are about 1000+ possible variations for this dish, as you can easily alter the vegetables, protein and cheese options to suit your taste, or to align with whatever you’ve got going on in your fridge.
Let’s have a little gander at the ingredients and how to put this beauty together!
Antipasto Pasta Salad Ingredients – Vegan with Gluten Free Options
Pasta – More often than not, for pasta salads I like to use a small, tight spiralled noodle. I find it holds it’s shape well, doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients and is great at holding the dressing in all it’s curves, for optimal deliciousness. Although I can personally only eat VERY small amounts of organic wheat pasta, I do like to avoid gluten free pasta when making salads, as they tend to get mushy and breakdown. If you are unable to consume any wheat, opt for a sturdier option like chickpea or quinoa. Here is the organic pasta I use for this recipe.
Sun-dried Tomatoes – I would say the sun-dried tomatoes are the only ingredient outside of the pasta, that I would deem an absolute requirement. They are an amazing combination of salty and sweet and add a brilliant pop of flavour to this pasta salad. I have used both dried and oil packed for this recipe and either one works just fine. The option is yours!
Olives – I will use any excuse to eat an unholy amount of olives and this antipasto pasta salad allows for just that! If you are an olive lover, much like myself, feel free to go a little crazy and add more than the suggested amount in the recipe card. Combining two or more different variations of olives is so tasty.
Artichokes – Although this recipe is very flexible, and most of the options of antipasto can be packed in either oil or water (brine) and the recipe will work great, artichokes are the exception to the rule. Artichokes packed in water (brine) are a must here. After opting for the oil packed variation a few weeks ago, I found them to seriously over-power the dish and almost felt too slimy (gross description, I know). Canned artichoke heart is definitely the winner for this pasta salad.
Chickpeas – Chickpeas are pasta salad protein heroes! They have such a subtle flavour that doesn’t take over any dish and they don’t tend to get mushy and they also hold their shape so well. That being said, really any cooked bean could technically work for this recipe. If you aren’t crazy about beans or suffer from IBS or other tummy issues, even something like hemp hearts could work to add protein to this dish.
Feta Cheese – The feta cheese is the darling of this pasta dish. It’s tangy, rich and slightly salty flavor adds an almost decadent buttery flavor. I always find myself looking for the pieces of feta in my bowl, to be sure I get even a small amount in each tasty bite. If you are not a fan of feta, or can’t find a viable vegan option (and don’t want to make your own), a sharp non-dairy “cheddar” cut into cubes is fun in this recipe too.
Other ingredients include: red onion and parsley.
How to Make Antipasto Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cook the pasta in a large stockpot of salted water, only until al dente (according to package directions). Drain pasta and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds until no longer hot. This will ensure pasta does not become soft or mushy. Set aside.
Step 2: Slice/chop sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichokes, parsley and onions to desired size and add to a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add cooled pasta, chickpeas and feta to mixing bowl and gently stir to combine.
Step 4: Pour Lemon Italian Vinaigrette over pasta salad and stir. Add pepper to taste and more salt is desired.
Step 5: Serve immediately, or store in fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
Tips and tricks:
- Feel free to totally adjust ingredients to your taste. Don’t like olives? Whatevs… leave them out! Want more fresh ingredients? No prob! Add chopped bell peppers, vine-vipened tomatoes, spinach, you name it! Experiment with what you think will work best.
- Fresh basil is a major flex in this dish. Although I didn’t add it to the actual ingredient list, I do often add about a tbsp of freshly picked and chopped basil to the pasta salad.
- Want to add some heat? Add some finely chopped pepperoncini to the mix! It’s a common ingredient at antipasto bars and adds a excellent flavour pop.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, feel free to use a gluten-free pasta. I would suggest using a very sturdy option like chickpea or quinoa based brands. Rice and corn pastas will get mushy and soggy pretty quickly.
There you have it! I would just LOVE to see your version of this Antipasto Pasta Salad. If you whip one up, post it on your IG and take @mostlydomestic so I can ogle your masterpiece!
Love pasta? Duh, right?! Well, here are some other things I have made that you might also like.
Vegan Copycat Hamburger Helper
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 500 grams dry pasta - fusillini or rotini
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes - dry or oil packed
- 1/3 cup slice green or black olives
- 1 cup canned artichokes - not oil packed
- 1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/4 cup parsley - tightly packed
- 2 1/2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 3 tbsp vegan feta cheese - crumbled
Lemon Italian Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil - or another neutral oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp agave nectar - or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp olive brine
- 1 small garlic clove - minced
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt - or sea salt
- black or white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large stockpot of salted water, only until al dente (according to package directions). Drain pasta and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds until no longer hot. This will ensure pasta does not become soft or mushy. Set aside.
- Slice/chop sundried tomatoes, olives, artichokes, parsley and onions to desired size and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add cooled pasta, chickpeas and feta to mixing bowl and gently stir to combine.
- Pour Lemon Italian Vinaigrette over pasta salad and stir. Add pepper to taste and more salt is desired.
- Serve immediately, or store in fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
Lemon Italian Vinaigrette
- In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to totally adjust ingredients to your taste. Don't like olives? Whatevs... leave them out! Want more fresh ingredients? No prob! Add chopped bell peppers, vine-vipened tomatoes, spinach, you name it! Experiment with what you think will work best.
- Fresh basil is a major flex in this dish. Although I didn't add it to the actual ingredient list, I do often add about a tbsp of freshly picked and chopped basil to the pasta salad.
- Want to add some heat? Add some finely chopped pepperoncini to the mix! It's a common ingredient at antipasto bars and adds a excellent flavour pop.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, feel free to use a gluten-free pasta. I would suggest using a very sturdy option like chickpea or quinoa based brands. Rice and corn pastas will get mushy and soggy pretty quickly.
