This recipe is so easy to make and keeps really well in the fridge so it’s an ideal back-to-work meal planning dish! You can switch out certain salad ingredients to make it fancy or simply change it up from week to week.
This pasta salad recipe combines fresh, vibrant ingredients that hold up well over time.
What You Need:
- 500g pasta, cooked according to package instructions (we recommend penne)
- 200-250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cucumber, diced into 5mm cubes
- 1 red capsicum (red pepper), diced into 5mm cubes
- 100g pitted olives, halved (green or kalamata)
- 100g tofu feta* cubes see notes)
- 1 tbsp vegan basil pesto
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Method:
1/ Place cooled pasta into a large bowl. Add salad ingredients and mix together.
2/ Mix the basil pesto with the olive oil to loosen to create a dressing. Drizzle all over the pasta salad.
3/ Serve immediately or portion into containers and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Fancy additions:
- ½ cup sliced grilled, marinated artichokes
- Fresh basil leaves for garnishing fresh
- Toasted pine nuts
Notes:
Nowadays, you can find tofu feta at selected supermarkets. But if you’d like to make your own, it’s quite simple. Try this recipe: Use 1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed to release excess moisture with paper towels, then sliced into cubes. Make a simple marinade, including: ½ cup water, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped), ½ tsp each: salt, black pepper and red chilli flakes. Place in a sealed container in a sealed container and in the fridge for 12 to 48 hours.