This Vegan BLT Pasta Salad is perfect for a summer BBQ! It is loaded with tempeh bacon, cherry tomatoes, arugula, avocado, red onion and a creamy dressing!
I know we're all stuck inside (and it's not quite summer yet), but that doesn't mean we can't bring some summer flavors inside with us. And this Vegan BLT Pasta Salad screams SUMMER BBQ!
This pasta salad is so flavorful! From the salty tempeh bacon, to the creamy avocado, to the crunchy red onion...so much good stuff going on in here.
TSV TIP: My favorite tempeh bacon is from Lightlife. You can also find plenty of tempeh bacon recipes online.
I personally don't love an overly dressed pasta salad - I can't stand when there is a pound of mayo in my salad. So this pasta salad is lightly dressed, and in my opinion, has the perfect amount of dressing. If you prefer a more heavily dressed salad, more power to you. Double the dressing recipe and go to town 🙂
TSV TIP: I like most vegan mayo brands. I usually get Vegenaise, but I haven't tried one I don't like.
Another note is to wait to dress the salad until right before serving. This way the pasta doesn't absorb the dressing before you eat it.
This salad has everything you could want. It is comforting, refreshing, light and filling all in one big bowl.
This is the ultimate party side! I mean, for whenever we're able to have parties, that is. Grab a plate, because you are going to want to go back for seconds before it's gone!
Need more pasta salad inspo? Check out these other tasty recipes:
- Creamy Vegan Southwest Pasta Salad
- Tomato Corn Avocado Pasta Salad
- Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad
- Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies
- Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Vegan BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 oz tempeh bacon diced
- 12 oz short pasta I used cavatappi
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado chopped
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula
Instructions
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt & pepper. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.*
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the tempeh bacon and cook until browned, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to the water, followed by the pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- To assemble, add the pasta, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, arugula, tempeh bacon and dressing to a large bowl. Toss to combine and top with additional pepper.** Serve at room temperature or cold.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Super tasty and super easy. I left the olive oil out and did not add more mayo as to reduce total fat, but it worked just fine. Also, added smoked paprika and chives. Yummy!! Thank you very much!!
This is going in my recipe book for sure! We have a daughter with soy allergies so I made portabella bacon instead. Perfect!
Yum! That sounds tasty! So glad you liked it!
Recommendation on leaving out the oil? Substitute or maybe more mayo?
Yep, more mayo will do the trick 👍
Normally I make a recipe I am reviewing exactly as written the first time. However, I detest arugula as it tastes like soap to me, so I substituted baby spinach leaves and it worked perfectly. This pasta salad was divine! The second time I made it, I added a little vegan bacon seasoning to the dressing (which was fantastic) and used shredded cabbage instead as I needed to dress it a few hours before serving. This worked really well also as the cabbage kept its crunch as I knew it would (I do this with my lunchtime wraps). This is such a delicious recipe no matter what little tweaks you make to personalise it. Next time I plan on trying it with my homemade tempeh bacon. Thank you for sharing!
Yum! Those all sound like great options! So glad you liked it.
I could eat this pasta every day! I am not a fan of arugula so I was hesitant to add much at first, but it works so well with the other flavors. I was looking forward to taking it to a BBQ over the summer, but I guess I'll have to wait until 2021.
Haha - 2021 will definitely be BBQ central. So glad you liked it!
This recipe is my go to bbq side dish. It is a huge crowd pleaser. I usually use the facon that I can crisp instead of tempeh but otherwise make it as suggested. It is a huge crowd pleaser - vegan and non vegan alike. Everyone always wants the recipe!
Yay! So glad you like this. And that facon sounds tasty!
Question what is sugar & carbs per serving for this receipe?
Can I replace the noodles with a gluten free version, and if so, what kind?
Totally - use your favorite GF pasta. I would just make sure it is a short pasta.
This looked so delicious that I had to sign up for the e-cookbook. I want to eat healthier and find meals to cook/make that I can feel comfortable following. Sharing tips of brands that you use really helps a lot. Thanks.
So glad it is helpful! And hope you get lots of inspo from the ebook!