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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Aug 5, 2021 · Modified: May 23, 2022 by Katie

    Pasta Salad without Mayo

    Jump to Recipe Step-by-Step Photos Watch the Video

    This quick and easy pasta salad is made without mayo and makes the perfect light dinner. It can be enjoyed all year round but tastes especially good on a hot summer day.

    big bowl of pasta salad and two small plates next to it also filled with pasta salad. next to it some olive oil dressing.

    This no-mayo pasta salad can be enjoyed as a side dish (perfect for a backyard barbecue) or a light main dish.

    For more salad recipes try Asparagus Green Salad, Watermelon Salad with Red Onion and Cucumber or Vegan Couscous Salad.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients & Substitution Notes
    • How to Make Pasta Salad Without Mayo
    • Optional Add-Ins
    • Variations
    • Top Tips
    • Storage
    • FAQs
    • More Salad Recipes to Try
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • It's lower in fat and includes a big variety of veggies.
    • It comes together in no time!
    • It's a vegetarian meal that can easily be made dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free.

    Ingredients & Substitution Notes

    all ingredients needed to make greek pasta salad without mayo.
    • Pasta: For pasta salads I prefer using pasta with uneven surfaces like penne or fusilli. This makes them hold onto the dressing really nicely. If you want this recipe to be gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. Use whole-wheat pasta for a more nutritious meal.
    • Cherry Tomatoes: They usually taste a bit more intense than plum tomatoes and give the salad some extra texture.
    • Cucumber: You could either peel it or give it a thorough wash and leave the skin on.
    • Red Onion: Feel free to use white onion, green onion or omit all-together.
    • Olives (Black & Green): Both regular black olives and the slightly bitter kalamata olives tastes great in this recipe. Buy pitted once to save more time!
    • Parsley: Could be replaced by other fresh herbs such as fresh basil or cilantro.
    • Feta cheese: Use vegan crumbled feta for a vegan pasta salad. If you don't like feta you could try crumbled goat cheese instead.
    • Dressing: You'll need olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup (or any other sweetener of choice) and Dijon mustard.

    How to Make Pasta Salad Without Mayo

    This pasta salad recipe only requires a handful of simple ingredients and comes together in no time. There's also no special equipment needed.

    saucepan filled with boiling water and fussili pasta.

    STEP 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions (I would recommend cooking it al dente).

    pasta drained in a colander.

    Then drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. Set aside.

    all of the dressing ingredients in a small mason jar.

    STEP 2: Make the dressing. Add olive oil, lemon juice maple syrup, Dijon mustard and salt to a small bowl or jar.

    all of the dressing ingredients whisked together with a whisk in a small jar.

    Whisk until well combined.

    all of the ingredients for the pasta salad in a bowl.

    STEP 3: Toss together. Combine pasta, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, olives, red onion, parsley and feta in a large bowl.

    all of the ingredients for the pasta salad and the dressing tossted together in a bowl.

    Add the salad dressing and stir until well combined.

    Optional Add-Ins

    • Bell peppers: Yellow or red peppers taste amazing in this pasta salad.
    • Beans: Such as white beans, kidney beans or black beans add some additional texture and fiber.
    • Chickpeas: They add some additional protein and taste amazing in this salad.
    • Artichoke: Artichoke hearts make a great add-in in pasta salads.
    • Leafy greens: such as fresh arugula or baby spinach make a gread addition to this salad.
    • Garlic powder: Add some garlic powder to the dressing for even more intense flavors.
    olive oil dressing being poured onto a bowl of greek pasta salad.

    Variations

    • Vegan: Use vegan feta to keep this recipe vegan.
    • Gluten-Free: Choose certified gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free pasta salad.

    Top Tips

    • Pitted olives: To save more time, buy pitted olives.
    • Fresh lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the dressing.
    • Cool salad: For a cool, refreshing summer salad, put it in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: If you can, opt for high-quality olive oil!
    greek pasta salad without mayo in glass with some lemon being sprinkled onto.

    Storage

    Store in an airtight container with a lid in the fridge for up to 3 day

    FAQs

    What can I use instead of mayonnaise in pasta salad?

    Dressings that are made of olive oil, lemon juice or white wine vinegar taste amazing in pasta salads.

    Should this pasta salad be made the night before?

    Making this salad ahead of time will allow the flavors to sink in even more. However, there's no need to prepare it the night before.

    Do I need to rinse the pasta?

    Yes, rinsing the pasta with cool water stops the cooking process and ensures that your pasta stays al dente.

    More Salad Recipes to Try

    • Roasted Asparagus Green Salad
    • Vegan Couscous Salad
    • Watermelon Salad with Red Onion and Feta

    📖 Recipe

    big bowl of greek pasta salad with dressing on the side.

    Easy Pasta Salad (NO mayo)

    Author: Katie
    This Greek Pasta Salad consists of pasta and a wide variety of veggies. It's made without mayo and can be made gluten-free as well as vegan.
    If you love this recipe as much as we do, click on the 5-stars below!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Salad
    Cuisine: Greek-inspired, vegan
    Servings: 2 people
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups fusilli/ penne pasta *or sub gluten-free pasta
    • 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
    • ½ cucumber, chopped
    • handful of black olives, pitted
    • handful of green olives, pitted
    • ½ red onion, chopped
    • ½ package of (vegan) feta
    • handful of fresh parsley

    Dressing

    • 5 tablespoon olive oil
    • juice of ½ a lemon
    • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • pinch of salt

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    • Cook pasta according to package instructions (al dente!).
    • Then drain and rinse the warm pasta with cold water. Set aside.
    • Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a glass jar or a small bowl using a whisk.
    • Toss together cooked pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, red onion, crumbled feta and parsley in a big salad bowl.
    • Add the dressing and stir until well combined.
    • Taste and ajust seasoning.
    Pssst...You can find detailed step-by step-photos right above this recipe card

    Video

    Notes

    • Onion-Free: Feel free to use white onion, green onion or omit all-together.
    • Vegan: Use vegan feta to keep this recipe vegan.
    • Gluten-Free: Choose certified gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free pasta salad.
    • Optional All-Ins: Bell peppers, beans, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, leafy greens
    • You could also whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of the salad bowl.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1. | Calories: 845kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1738mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 844IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 391mg | Iron: 2mg
    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a rating and comment telling us how you liked it! Or tag @wholefoodsoulfood__kitchen on Instagram so we can admire your creations!

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    katie author of WSK

    Hi, I'm Katie and I am the face behind this website. Click here to learn more about me and my passion for (healthy) food and photography.

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