• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Savory Vegan
  • RECIPES
  • DINNER PLANS
  • SHOP
    • eBook
    • Amazon Faves
  • NEWSLETTER
  • VIDEOS
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • SHOP
  • NEWSLETTER
  • DINNER PLANS
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • SHOP
    • NEWSLETTER
    • DINNER PLANS
    • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home

    Vegan BLT Pasta Salad

    May 5, 2020 By Rene 18 Comments

    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!

    Jump to Recipe
    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq

    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.

    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq

    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.

    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq

    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 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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq

    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
    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq
    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq
    Print Pin
    5 from 11 votes

    Vegan BLT Pasta Salad

    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!
    Course Appetizer, Salad
    Cuisine American
    Keyword pasta, pasta salad
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 534kcal

    Ingredients

    FOR THE DRESSING

    • ½ cup vegan mayo
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
    • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
    • salt & pepper to taste

    FOR THE SALAD

    • 1 tablespoon 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

    *This salad is meant to be lightly dressed. If you prefer a heavily dressed salad, you can double the dressing recipe.
    **I would hold off on adding the dressing to the salad until right before serving. This will keep the pasta from absorbing the dressing. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Iron: 2mg

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase I will receive a small percentage of the sale. Please know I would never link a product unless I have personally used it and loved it!

    If you make this recipe be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and  @thissavoryvegan!

    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 | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #veganpastasalad #veganbbq
    « Weekly Vegan Dinner Plan #102
    Spicy Thai Noodles »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brandy

      August 25, 2021 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      So Good, this will probably be made for lunches. I also left out the extra oil and added smoked paprika. I may only add 1/4 of an onion next time, half is a little much for me but still really good.

      Reply
      • Rene

        September 03, 2021 at 10:18 am

        Hi Brandy - So glad you liked this! And smoked paprika sounds like a great addition!

        Reply
    2. Karen

      July 04, 2021 at 4:34 pm

      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!!

      Reply
    3. Scott

      March 23, 2021 at 4:11 pm

      This is going in my recipe book for sure! We have a daughter with soy allergies so I made portabella bacon instead. Perfect!

      Reply
      • Rene

        April 13, 2021 at 8:29 am

        Yum! That sounds tasty! So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Robin Webber

      March 20, 2021 at 7:59 am

      Recommendation on leaving out the oil? Substitute or maybe more mayo?

      Reply
      • Rene

        March 21, 2021 at 10:00 am

        Yep, more mayo will do the trick 👍

        Reply
    5. Shelley

      February 26, 2021 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Rene

        March 07, 2021 at 8:39 am

        Yum! Those all sound like great options! So glad you liked it.

        Reply
    6. Joanna

      December 23, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Rene

        December 30, 2020 at 10:02 am

        Haha - 2021 will definitely be BBQ central. So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    7. Dana

      October 11, 2020 at 11:52 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Rene

        October 12, 2020 at 2:15 pm

        Yay! So glad you like this. And that facon sounds tasty!

        Reply
    8. Denise

      August 14, 2020 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      Question what is sugar & carbs per serving for this receipe?

      Reply
    9. Kay

      May 25, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Can I replace the noodles with a gluten free version, and if so, what kind?

      Reply
      • Rene

        May 26, 2020 at 10:58 am

        Totally - use your favorite GF pasta. I would just make sure it is a short pasta.

        Reply
    10. Eileen

      May 05, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Rene

        May 07, 2020 at 8:51 am

        So glad it is helpful! And hope you get lots of inspo from the ebook!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, nice to meet you!

    I’m Rene! So-cal native, dog mom and lover of all things spicy. Learn more.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Recipes
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 This Savory Vegan by Rene Barker