This oil-free pasta salad is also a no-mayo recipe and is low calorie & high protein! It’s nutritious & only takes 10 mins to make this tasty pasta salad!
If you’re looking for a pasta salad this is oil-free and mayo-free, you found the right recipe!
Recipe for Oil-Free Pasta Salad
This pasta salad recipe is one of my go-to’s for summer & uses hummus (you can make my homemade oil-free hummus or find one at the store) for the pasta salad dressing instead of oil or mayo! It has a nice crunch from the vegetables and of course, the delicious chewy pasta. It’s slightly sweet, tangy, and savory at the same time.
By using simple swaps, we are going to make an otherwise generally high calorie dish (think traditional macaroni salad) into a lower calorie, high protein, and filling pasta salad!
This recipe tastes like a summer macaroni / pasta salad and great to bring to a barbecue or a potluck! It’s also great for meal prep by multiplying the recipe by whatever servings you want.
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Hummus (you can make this homemade oil-free hummus or find store-bought without oil)
- Red Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
- Maple Syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Chickpeas
This oil-free pasta salad is: soy-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan!
To make the recipe gluten-free, simply use gluten-free pasta
If you don’t have elbow pasta, you can use any other pasta you’d like!
How To Make Oil-Free Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Start by cooking your pasta according to your package instructions.
While your pasta is cooking, prep your vegetables! Wash and slice up your bell pepper and onion and add it to your big mixing bowl.
Next, peel and chop your carrots as well as chop your celery. If you have a food processor, add your carrot and celery chunks into a food processor to grate them into smaller pieces easily. If not, chop your carrots and celery into small pieces.
To a small bowl, you’re going to make your oil-free pasta salad dressing. Add your hummus, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard to the bowl and whisk until creamy and smooth.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse in cold water thoroughly. Add to your large bowl with chopped vegetables.
Rinse and drain your can of chickpeas and add to your pasta salad.
Add the pasta salad dressing into the mixing bowl and mix everything until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Top with green onion and serve cold. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container. Enjoy!
Oil-Free Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Pot for boiling pasta
- Knife and cutting board
- Big Mixing Bowl
- Small bowl
- Whisk to mix oil-free dressing
- Spatula or Large Spoon
- Food Processor (optional) you can chop carrots & celery by hand or use food processor to grate them in seconds
Ingredients
- 110 grams pasta your choice, I used elbow pasta
- 1 Bell Pepper diced
- 1/2 Onion diced (I recommend red onion if you have it)
- 2 Carrots Long carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 Celery peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup Hummus you can make my homemade oil-free hummus or find store-bought without oil
- 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar ( love the taste of red wine vinegar in this salad)
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Green Onions (optional) chopped
Instructions
- Start by cooking your pasta according to your package instructions.
- While your pasta is cooking, prep your vegetables! Wash and slice up your bell pepper and onion and add it to your big mixing bowl.
- Next, peel and chop your carrots as well as chop your celery. If you have a food processor, add your carrot and celery chunks into a food processor to grate them into smaller pieces easily. If not, chop your carrots and celery into small pieces.
- To a small bowl, you're going to make your oil-free pasta salad dressing. Add your hummus, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard to the bowl and whisk until creamy and smooth.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse in cold water thoroughly. Add to your large bowl with chopped vegetables.
- Rinse and drain your can of chickpeas and add to your pasta salad.
- Add the pasta salad dressing into the mixing bowl and mix everything until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with green onion and serve cold. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
NEED MORE VEGAN RECIPE INSPO? CHECK THESE OUT:
This tastes very similar to a much less healthier macaroni salad I used to make with a lot of mayonnaise. I love adding hummus because it still adds lots of flavor and creaminess. Thank you!
I love how easy and vegetable packed this is!!! Makes it so fresh tasting. You wouldn’t know this is “low calorie”