Vegan Lemon Pasta Salad
This creamy lemon pasta salad is the sunshine your lunch routine has been waiting for. Creamy, zingy, fresh, and protein-packed, it’s everything we love about warm-weather eating with way more staying power than your average side dish. One bite and you’ll see why we can’t stop making it!
This post contains affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you). Click here to read our full policy about affiliate links. Thank you for shopping our affiliate links, as it helps us keep the free vegan recipes coming your way!
This isn’t your typical lemon pasta salad. You know the ones. They’re usually mayo-heavy or completely oil-slicked, maybe with some limp veggies tossed in as an afterthought. Nope, not here.
Our pasta salad with lemon vinaigrette is ultra-creamy, light yet satisfying, and filled with actual greens. Think of it as a cross between a pasta salad and a crunchy garden salad, with a luscious lemony dressing that ties everything together like a hug.
The real magic? The creamy lemon vinaigrette that inspired this whole thing! It coats every noodle like an absolute dream, thanks to a blend of silken tofu, white miso, Dijon, and garlic.
Tossed with peppery arugula, crisp salad mix, and protein-rich white beans, this dish is a total meal, not just a BBQ side! You get the freshness of a salad, the comfort of pasta, and the satisfaction of a high-protein bowl. Perfect for spring, summer, or whenever you need a little edible sunshine.
Plus, it’s meal prep gold. We’ve tested it every which way, and it holds up for days in the fridge, greens and all. Just grab a fork, maybe throw on some soy curl chicken, and call it lunch. Or dinner. Or snack!
Ingredients for Arugula Lemon Pasta Salad
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best lemon pasta salad:
- Pasta – We love rotini, but penne, farfalle, or cavatappi all work well!
- White beans – Cannellini or great northern beans are both great options. Chickpeas would work too!
- Garden salad mix – The bagged kind keeps it simple. Coleslaw mix also works!
- Baby arugula – For that signature peppery bite. This pairs beautifully with our lemon dressing!
For the creamy lemon garlic dressing:
- Fresh lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil (see notes below for oil-free)
- Silken tofu
- Garlic cloves
- Nutritional yeast
- White miso paste – This adds a fermented, parmesany flavor. You can sub vegan parmesan if needed.
- Dijon mustard
- Spice Cabinet – salt, white pepper
How to Make This Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
- Cook your pasta al dente according to the package directions. Then, drain, rinse with cold water, and let it cool completely. This helps it stay firm in the salad!
- Blend your dressing ingredients on high speed for a full 60 seconds. Don’t skimp on this part; this is what makes it ultra-creamy and emulsified! You want the mixture to be smooth and shiny. That part is important.
- In a big mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, drained and rinsed white beans, salad mix, and arugula.
- Pour in half the dressing, season with salt and white pepper, and toss to coat. At this point, give it a taste. Then add more dressing if you’re like me and want every noodle drenched in flavor.
Substitutions & Tips for Making Pasta Salad with Lemon
- Oil-free lemon pasta salad: Omit the olive oil and double the silken tofu for a lighter, oil-free version that still feels indulgent.
- No tofu? No problem. Just double the olive oil instead!
- Want more protein? Use a protein-rich pasta like Banza or Barilla Protein+ and/or double the white beans. You can also choose the oil-free option which will up the protein in the dressing itself!
- Make it gluten-free: Any gluten-free short pasta will work here!
- Switch up the greens: Try small broccoli florets, coleslaw mix, spinach, or chopped kale if arugula isn’t your thing.
- Serve it with: Pesto tofu, Greek tofu, or soy curl chicken for a satisfying warm-weather dinner.
Citrus Pasta Salad Storage Tips
This lemon arugula pasta salad is a meal prep MVP.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. The greens hold up shockingly well, and the flavor gets even better as it sits. A high-quality airtight container helps with this. We love the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers!
FAQs
Yes! It’s one of our go-to make-ahead meals for spring and summer. Just store in an airtight container and give it a stir before serving. It will stay fresh for at least 3 or up to 5 days.
Absolutely. Double the silken tofu and skip the olive oil for an oil-free lemon pasta salad that’s still super creamy.
Yep. Just double the olive oil, and you’re good to go. You could also sub in a vegan mayo if you have some on hand.
To add more protein, you can use a high-protein pasta like Banza and/or double the white beans.
More Salad Recipes:
If you make this creamy rotini pasta salad, we’d love to hear what you think! 💬
Leave a star rating and review below. Your feedback helps more people discover our recipes and supports our small business in a big way.
Plus, we’re obsessed with reading your tweaks, tips, and love notes!
Simple Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pasta short varieties like penne, bowtie, or rotini
- 1 (15.5-oz) can white beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups bagged salad mix I like the “garden salad” varieties
- 3 cups baby arugula
For the creamy lemon dressing (you will probably have extra):
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil double the silken tofu for oil-free
- 1/4 cup silken tofu
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste
- 1 Tbsp Dijon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the box directions for al dente. When finished, drain and spray with cold water. Let cool fully.
- Make the dressing by blending all the ingredients in a blender or food processor for 1 full minute until smooth and shiny.
- Add the pasta, white beans, salad mix, and arugula to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Then, add half the dressing along with the salt and white pepper and toss again to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. If you want a heavier dressing, feel free to toss in more of that as well! T likes a light coating, whereas I’m more of a “gimme all you got” type of mindset!
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. The greens hold up shockingly well, and the flavor gets even better as it sits. A high-quality airtight container helps with this. We love the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers!
- Oil-free lemon pasta salad: Omit the olive oil and double the silken tofu for a lighter, oil-free version that still feels indulgent.
- No tofu? No problem. Just double the olive oil instead!
- Make it gluten-free: Any gluten-free short pasta will work here!
- Want more protein? Use a protein-rich pasta like Banza or Barilla Protein+ and/or double the white beans. You can also choose the oil-free option which will up the protein in the dressing itself!
