Magical Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This colourful Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is a scrumptious collaboration of hearty elements, fragrant seasonings, and a vibrant aesthetic. Made with marinated tofu, roasted greens, fusilli pasta, and a sundried tomato and herb dressing, it’s a nutritious and satisfying anytime meal.

This recipe was written on November 7, 2018. It was up to date with extra recipe info on June 14, 2024.

Should you’re in search of a light-weight and flavorful warm-weather dish, you’ll love this wholesome pasta salad. It’s simple to organize and bursting with Mediterranean flavors! Protein-rich tofu is marinated in tangy pink wine vinegar and herbs for optimum taste. Mixed with roasted zucchini and al dente pasta, the combination is tossed in further virgin olive oil, recent basil, sundried and recent tomatoes, and olives. Every chew of this aromatic vegan pasta salad is a Mediterranean getaway! 

This wholesome summer time pasta salad is nice for meal preparation. Whip up a match to get pleasure from fast, grab-and-go lunches or gentle dinners all through the week. Mediterranean pasta recipes additionally make the last word picnic deal with! 
For extra vegan pasta recipes, strive my avocado pesto pasta, spring veggie pasta, or vegan pasta salad.

Elements

Crimson Wine Vinegar: Provides a tangy depth to the Mediterranean pasta salad dressing. Use high-quality pink wine vinegar for the most effective taste. Alternatively, substitute for balsamic vinegar for a sweeter, richer taste. 

Additional Virgin Olive Oil: Important for the tofu marinade and pasta salad vegan dressing. Select a cold-pressed, further virgin selection for the richest taste and most well being advantages. Alternatively, swap with avocado or walnut oil for a unique, but complimentary taste. 

Dried Herbs: Dried basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary are a traditional mix for Mediterranean pasta, including fragrant complexity to the dish. Contemporary herbs can be utilized if out there, simply use 3 times the quantity of the dried herbs. 

Black Pepper: Floor black pepper provides a delicate heat that compliments the opposite flavors. Use a peppermill to freshly grind black peppercorns or go for pre-ground pepper for comfort. 

Crimson Pepper Flakes: Add a touch of additional warmth and spice. Modify the quantity to fit your warmth choice. For a smoky taste, swap the pepper flakes for smoked paprika.

Salt: Enhances all of the flavors within the wholesome pasta salad recipe. Use sea salt or kosher salt for a cleaner, smoother style. 

Zucchini: Supplies a pop of coloration and candy, savory essence to the dish. Select agency, unblemished zucchini. Alternatively, swap for equal elements butternut squash for a heartier texture and sweeter taste. 

Fusilli Pasta: Fussili is right because it holds the pasta salad Mediterranean dressing nicely. Cook dinner al dente based on bundle instructions for the most effective biteable texture. If desired, use one other brief pasta form like rotini or penne, or a gluten-free various to swimsuit dietary wants.  

Inexperienced Olives: Add a briny, savory punch to the pasta. Select pitted olives for comfort. You may also use black olives or Kalamata olives for a taste variation. 

Sundried Tomatoes: Elevates the flavour of the salad with a sweet-tart notice. Search for sundried tomatoes packed in oil for a richer style or dry-packed for a much less oily possibility. 

Vine-ripened Tomatoes: A recent vine-ripened tomato provides juiciness and freshness to the vegetarian pasta salad. Choose a shiny pink and agency tomato for the most effective taste. Should you can’t discover ripe tomatoes, use canned diced tomatoes, drained. 

Contemporary Basil: Supplies a recent, peppery taste that brightens the pasta salad. Search for vibrant inexperienced leaves for the most effective taste. If desired, substitute with recent parsley or cilantro for a twist.

Easy methods to Make Mediterranean Pasta Salad

• Marinate Tofu. Mix the pink wine vinegar, further virgin olive oil, basil, oregano, black pepper, chili flakes, thyme, rosemary, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk or stir nicely to mix. Add the cubed tofu to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Set it apart on the counter or fridge to marinate whilst you put together the opposite elements. For finest outcomes, marinate the tofu in a single day in case you have the time.

• Roast Veggies. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Place the zucchini or butternut squash on the baking sheet and toss with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Unfold the greens out in an excellent layer and roast for half-hour.
• Cook dinner Pasta. Cook dinner the pasta in closely salted water based on the bundle directions. Drain the cooked pasta, then toss instantly with a drizzle of additional virgin olive oil. Unfold it evenly on a baking sheet to chill till prepared to make use of.
• Toss Salad. As soon as the veggies are roasted, switch them to a big mixing or salad bowl. Then add the pasta, tofu with its marinade, olives, sundried tomatoes, and uncooked tomatoes. Stir nicely to coat, and season to style with salt if wanted. 

• Garnish. Serve instantly or set it apart to chill and marinate extra. Prime with recent basil earlier than serving.

Recipe Professional-Ideas

• Totally press the tofu. Ensure that to press the tofu nicely to take away extra water earlier than marinating. This helps the tofu higher take in the marinade and obtain a firmer texture. Use a tofu press or wrap it in a clear kitchen towel, place a heavy object on high, and let it relaxation for at the least quarter-hour. 
• Marinate the tofu in a single day. The longer the tofu soaks within the marinade, the extra flavorful it is going to grow to be, giving it most taste.
• If attainable, use recent herbs. Contemporary herbs can considerably improve the flavour of the vegan pasta salad recipe. Should you discover them recent, use them as an alternative of dried, and triple the amount of the dried herbs listed within the recipe. 
• Cook dinner pasta al dente. Observe the bundle directions to prepare dinner the pasta in closely salted water till simply al dente, so it has a agency, biteable texture. This helps the noodles take in extra of the dressing and have the most effective texture within the salad. 
• Fully prepare dinner the pasta. Permit the cooked pasta to chill fully earlier than mixing it with the opposite elements. This prevents the salad from turning into mushy and helps meld the flavors. 
• Customise the veggies. Be at liberty to change up the roasted veggie of selection relying on what’s in season. Nice alternate options are bell peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant. You may also use a mix of various veggies.

Serving Options

Get pleasure from this pasta salad as a light-weight lunch, dinner, or snack. Or, pair it with a few of our favourite recipes beneath for a full Mediterranean-inspired unfold at your subsequent yard get-together:

Storage Instructions

Leftovers might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Think about storing the recent herbs and veggies individually, as they might wilt, and including them to the salad simply earlier than serving.

Steadily Requested Questions

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