Lentil pasta salad is packed full of hearty, plant-based protein and veggies. It is all tossed together in a zesty dressing. This vegetarian pasta salad is made without mayo and can be enjoyed cold from the fridge or served at room temperature.
This protein-filled lentil and pasta salad is popular during the warmer months as BBQs, picnics and summer gatherings start to take place. It is also great during the summer months because it requires minimal cooking (only the pasta and lentils if you choose). I don't love mayonnaise so I often make salads without mayo and opt to use a lighter vinaigrette instead.
I've been on such a meal prep salad kick lately. I've been loving my Mediterranean lentil salad and this vegan corn lentil salad. This veggie filled pasta salad pairs well with peach and goat cheese crostini, grilled eggplant sandwiches and a refreshing cocktail.
If you want to learn more about lentils make sure to check out my guide on how to cook dried lentils!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This simple protein filled pasta salad is easy to modify and adjust to your taste preference.
- Lentils have several health benefits! They are high in fiber, protein and essential vitamins and minerals.
- Pasta salad with lentils is great for meal prep and can be enjoyed as a cold vegetarian side or a last minute main dish!
Ingredients Notes
- Pasta - I like to use a small sized pasta such as ditalini or orzo. This allows you to get the perfect bite with all the ingredients together!
- Green lentils - they are also know as French or Puy lentils. These lentils are great for pasta salad because they retain their firmness after they cook! I recommend cooking them in water with salt, a clove a garlic and a bayleaf for added flavor.
- Peppers - use 2 bell peppers, any color of your choosing!
- Persian cucumbers - these mini cucumbers add a refreshing crunch to the pasta salad.
- Red onion - this adds a pop of purple and some zing!
- Cherry tomatoes - add a juicy, natural sweetness to the salad.
- Feta - the salty, creamy cheese pairs well the the zesty yeast dressing and fresh chopped veggies.
Ingredients For The Lentil Pasta Salad Dressing
- Nutritional yeast dressing - this dressing is one of my favorites! You will need apple cider vinegar, seasoned rice wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, white miso paste, oregano, parsley and extra virgin olive oil.
See recipe card for quantities and instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegan - leave out the feta cheese or use vegan feta cheese! The nutritional yeast dressing will still add a delicious dairy-free cheesy flavor.
- Gluten free - use gluten free pasta such as red-lentil pasta or chickpea pasta.
- High protein - add in a can of beans such as garbanzo, cannellini or red kidney beans.
- Quicker - use prepared lentils such as canned lentils or the streamed lentils in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's.
- Pasta - use your favorite pasta shape such as orzo, bow tie, penne or rotini.
- Greek - add in kalarta olives! They will go well with the fresh veggies, feta cheese and vinaigrette.
- Balsamic vinaigrette - a sweet balsamic vinaigrette would also be great on this!
- Cheese - feel free to use other varieties of cheese such as sharp cheddar or mozzarella!
- Herbs - throw in some fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme or oregano!
- Without tomatoes - you can leave out the tomatoes if desired.
Step by Step Instructions
Add 1 cup of lentils, 3 cups of water ½ teaspoon of salt, a clove of garlic and a bayleaf to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes until tender. Strain and set aside.
Cook 1 ½ cups of pasta (about ½ pound) according to package directions. Make sure to cook it al dente so the pasta retains its firmness.
Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, seasoned rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, miso pasta, oregano, parsley and extra virgin olive oil.
Combine the pasta, lentils, diced veggies and dressing into a large bowl. Mix well, top with freshly ground black pepper and enjoy! To serve this cold, make sure to chill it for 1 hour before serving.
Hint: I like to chop the veggies so they are roughly the same size. This makes it easy to get the perfect bite with all the flavors!
Storage
Store green lentil pasta salad in an air tight container for up to 5 days. Enjoy eating it cold right out of the fridge or let it come up to room temperature.
I do not recommend freezing pasta salad.
Top tip
Cook the pasta and the lentils al dente so they retain their firmness. Make sure to check the package instructions for cooking recommendations. Nobody wants a mushy pasta salad!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can use red lentil pasta such as Barilla in order to add more protein and make this recipe gluten-free. You can also use chickpea pasta, brown rice pasta or pea pasta in place of regular pasta.
Absolutely! This recipe will come together quicker if you use pre-packaged or canned lentils.
Yes I actually recommend making this in advance if you would like to serve it cold. You can make it a few hours before or the day before serving it. This lentil and pasta salad will stay good all week in the fridge.
Lentil Pasta Salad (Without Mayo)
Ingredients
- ½ lb ditalini pasta (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup French green lentils (AKA puy lentils)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bayleaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 bell peppers any color, I like to use red and yellow!
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 4 Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers), diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
For the pasta salad dressing:
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the lentils. Combine 1 cup of dried lentils, 3 cups of water, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 bayleaf and a clove of garlic in a medium sauce plan. Bring the lentils to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes until tender. Strain the lentils and allow them to cool. Remove the bayleaf and garlic.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. While the pasta and lentils are cooking, dice the vegetables.
- Mix the dressing. Whisk together the nutritional yeast, minced garlic, oregano, parsley, miso pasta, apple cider vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil.
- Add the cooked lentils, cooked pasta, diced peppers, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top. Mix well to combine. Serve room temperature or enjoy cold from the fridge.
Notes
- For a high protein vegetarian pasta salad add in a can of beans.
- Omit the feta or use vegan feta cheese for a vegan lentil pasta salad.
- To make this gluten-free you can use gluten-free pasta such as red lentil pasta.
- To make this quickly use canned lentils in place of dried lentils.
- The dressing used in this recipe is one of my favorites! You can find more information on nutrition yeast dressing on the linked blog post.
- Enjoy this room temperature or cold! To serve it cold, I suggest chilling it for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Fgraz / Tokyo says
I helped make this dish for an event tomorrow. It came together so easily and the taste is so summery.
Emily Toshiko says
I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for letting me know and leaving a comment. 🙂
Cathy says
My husband and I love this recipe! It is so refreshing on a hot, humid night! The salad dressing makes this dish delicious! The fact that it is healthy and chock full of vegetables is a bonus! Thanks for a winner!
Emily Toshiko says
I'm so happy you love it! I agree, it full of simple ingredients but the dressing really completes it! 🙂
Em says
I like to make a big batch at the start of the week and pack this for lunch!
Terry says
Can’t wait to try this - it looks absolutely stunning and the fact that it is healthy is the added bonus. Having guests at my house this summer and I will make this salad a day before so we can enjoy all week.
I will let you know how it turns out!
Emily Toshiko says
Thank you so much for giving it a try! It is definitely a great salad to make ahead of time for the week. Let me know how it goes! 🙂