Description
This vibrant vegan pasta salad is perfect for picnics or light meals, featuring colorful vegetables and a creamy, tangy tahini dressing without any mayo. It's packed with fresh haricots verts, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, and fresh herbs, tossed with short curly pasta and sunflower seeds for a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Pasta
- 1 cup haricots verts, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces short curly pasta
- 2 medium yellow squash, spiralized or very thinly sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced into quarters
- ¾ cup cooked navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 heaping cup halved cherry tomatoes
- scant ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced in half
Herbs and Seeds
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup almond milk or water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Blanch the Haricots Verts: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the haricots verts for 1 minute until tender-crisp, then immediately transfer them to the ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
- Cook the Pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the short curly pasta according to package instructions until just past al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool and stop cooking, then drain well.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small to medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, almond milk (or water), lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Combine the Salad: In a very large bowl, mix the cooked pasta, blanched haricots verts, spiralized yellow squash, quartered artichoke hearts, cooked navy beans, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and Kalamata olives.
- Toss with Dressing and Add Herbs: Pour the dressing over the vegetable and pasta mixture, tossing well to coat everything evenly. Fold in the chopped parsley, chopped basil, and sunflower seeds. Season with additional sea salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon more is recommended).
- Serve or Store: Serve the pasta salad at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Adjust seasoning before serving if needed.
Notes
- This salad is best enjoyed within 2 days when stored refrigerated.
- To save time, you can prepare the dressing and chop vegetables ahead of time.
- Use almond milk or water in the dressing based on your preference.
- Blanching the haricots verts keeps them crisp and vibrant in color.
- Feel free to substitute navy beans with another cooked white bean if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan