Craving a simple, delicious, and vibrant vegetarian pasta salad?
This recipe is your answer to a quick lunch, potluck favorite, or light dinner.
Get ready to discover how to create this crowd-pleasing dish with easy-to-find ingredients and simple steps.
Ingredients
Okay, let's gather what we need—and trust me, it's not as complicated as it sounds! We're making veggie burgers that even meat-lovers will enjoy!
First, snag 250g (or 8oz) of sliced mushrooms, along with 2 tsp of olive oil. Next, grab a 400g (14oz) can of cannellini beans—make sure you drain 'em! Don't forget one large, grated carrot. That's the veggie base; not too scary, right?
Now for the patty ingredients! You'll need 1/2 cup (70g) of raw, unsalted cashews, plus 1/2 cup (55g) of panko breadcrumbs. Parmesan time—1/2 cup (50g) of grated. Crack in one egg, add 2 tbsp of mayonnaise, one minced garlic clove, and 1/2 tsp each of paprika, salt, and pepper. Finally mix 3/4 cup (150g) of cooked brown rice *and* ¾ cup green onions will be added to the patty too!
Instructions
Now that we've gathered everything, let's get cookin'! First, preheat your oven to 180C/350F—or 160C/320F if you've got a fan oven; fancy!
Next, pile those shrooms on a tray, drizzle with oil, and toss 'em. Spread beans on another tray, sprinkle carrots all over—like you're decorating a veggie Christmas tree!
Pop beans on the top shelf and mushrooms below. Bake for 15 minutes until beans are dry and carrots look slightly golden—we're not trying to make veggie jerky, people! Remove beans, move mushrooms up top, and bake for 10 more minutes until wrinkly. Cool 'em off.
Cashews go into the food processor. Blitz until crumb-sized—don't make cashew butter! Add beans, shrooms, and carrots. Pulse 'til chopped coarsely—we like texture, right?
Add breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, paprika, mayo, salt, and pepper. Blitz briefly—it should look like burger mix. Rice and shallots go in last—pulse 'em in; don't overdo it!
Shape into patties, chill for an hour, and get ready to grill! This recipe is vastly different than creating a simple pasta salad.
Recipe Notes
Switching gears a bit, I do have some recipe notes for you that I think are pretty important. First, don't overcook the pasta! Aim for al dente—that's Italian for "to the tooth"—meaning it should still have a little bite. Nobody likes mushy pasta, trust me.
Next, when you're chopping your veggies, keep them relatively uniform in size. This helps them cook evenly and makes the salad look nicer—presentation matters, you know! I like to use a mix of colors, too, because it's more fun to eat.
If you're making this ahead of time, hold off on adding the dressing until just before serving. This prevents the pasta from soaking it all up and becoming soggy, which is a major bummer. Instead, store your pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Always remember, fresh is usually best!
Nutrition Information
Think pasta—it's our carb base, so it gives you energy. But don't worry, it's not just plain carbs! I also sneak in tons of veggies. We're talking bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers—the works! These are full of vitamins, like little health boosters.
Then, there's the dressing! It adds flavor but can pack some calories, so I'm mindful of the amounts I use. Generally, for one serving—around 170g—you might be looking at something like 358 calories. It sounds like a lot, but it's a whole meal!
Short Recipe Version
Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
- Pour Italian dressing over the salad and mix.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with feta cheese.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 12g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 50g