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Vegan Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

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4.3 from 7 reviews

This vegan Greek pasta salad is a refreshing and flavorful dish combining tender pasta with fresh vegetables, black olives, chickpeas, and a zesty vegan Greek dressing. Enhanced by homemade tofu feta cheese marinated with nutritional yeast, miso, and herbs, this salad is perfect for a quick, healthy main course or side dish.

  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main Course, Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Greek, Vegan
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Pasta and Vegetables

  • 227 g pasta (8 oz dry pasta of choice)
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 cucumber, seeded & diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
  • 20 black olives, sliced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

Tofu Feta

  • 1 block firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (optional; add only here or in dressing to avoid excess oil)

Vegan Greek Pasta Salad Dressing

  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar/apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (omit if olive oil added to tofu feta)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Tofu Feta: Press the tofu for 10-15 minutes to remove excess water using a tofu press or by wrapping in paper towels and placing a heavy pan on top. In a large mixing bowl, combine nutritional yeast, miso paste, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and optional olive oil. Cut the pressed tofu into small cubes and toss with the marinade. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  2. Cook Pasta: Cook your chosen pasta according to package instructions until al dente. For higher protein, opt for high-protein pasta. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
  3. Prepare Vegetables: Dice the bell pepper and red onion. Seed the cucumber by cutting out the center to prevent sogginess, then dice it. Finely chop the fresh parsley. Slice the black olives and halve or leave the grape tomatoes whole to maintain texture.
  4. Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or pot containing the cooked pasta, add the diced bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, parsley, grape tomatoes, sliced black olives, drained chickpeas, and marinated tofu feta cubes. Mix gently.
  5. Make Dressing: If not using store-bought dressing, whisk together freshly squeezed lemon juice, red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, and olive oil (omit olive oil if already added to tofu feta to avoid excess oil).
  6. Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the combined pasta salad ingredients and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
  7. Serve or Store: Enjoy the vegan Greek pasta salad immediately or store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • Pressing tofu is crucial to allow it to absorb the marinade and achieve a firm texture.
  • Use high-protein pasta to boost the protein content if desired.
  • Avoid adding olive oil both to the tofu feta and dressing to prevent the salad from becoming too oily.
  • Seeding the cucumber helps keep the salad from becoming watery.
  • This salad can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 4 days.
  • Feel free to use store-bought vegan feta and Greek dressing for convenience.

Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/vegan-greek-pasta-salad-recipe/