I've been craving a good pasta salad lately, and this Red Lentil Pasta Salad recipe is full of zesty summer flavor! It's vegan & gluten-free, so perfect for just about any eater!
What's your favorite summer salad? Since we just celebrated the 4th of July last week, we enjoyed my watermelon feta orzo salad with arugula. But it got me thinking of other end of summer salads we love, and pasta salad always comes to mind!
I decided to make a lentil pasta salad recipe that is vegan and gluten-free thanks to the red lentil pasta noodles so everyone can enjoy it! Made with banana peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, artichoke and topped with an Italian herb-infused dressing - delish!
Gluten Free Pasta Salad
If you avoid gluten in your diet, replicating the texture of traditional pasta can be hard. The gluten proteins give pasta the texture we're familiar with. However, there are alternatives! More food brands are creating gluten-free options with lentils, beans and potatoes. Lentil noodles hold well together while cooking and the texture, while different than traditional pasta, isn't too noticeably different. Here are some ideas if you're in need of gluten-free pasta options!
Besides the obvious red lentil noodles, gluten-free products are being made from chickpeas, peas, other types of lentils, potatoes, rice, quinoa flour and more!
Keep in mind, if you don't need to avoid gluten for medical or dietary reasons, there's no benefit to adopting a gluten-free diet. Many people get the impression from the media that a gluten-free diet is "healthy" but that's just a bunch of marketing hype to get people to spend $$$
Eat gluten-free options because you're interested to try something different, truly enjoy the food or need to for medical or dietary reasons.
Make the Pasta Salad Vegan
This lentil pasta salad recipe is vegan too, so no dairy is added. However, if you love cheese like me, you can always adjust the recipe for your taste buds.
But if you're looking for a dairy-free pasta salad, this will do the trick! It's flavorful and delicious without the dairy!
The homemade imitation Italian dressing adds a savory touch to the zesty and tart flavors of the artichoke and banana peppers, making this recipe like a vegan Italian pasta salad.
How to Make the Recipe
Cook the red lentil pasta according to package instructions. I like cooking it al dente so it's not mushy and has a bit of chew to it. Next, add all the other ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with the red lentil pasta noodles.
For the Italian herb infused dressing, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper and dried Italian herbs. Pour over the pasta salad bowl and mix well.
Chill the lentil pasta salad until you're ready to serve it! The longer the pasta sits, the more the Mediterranean flavors will come out.
Recipe FAQ and Tips
I have found when I cook with lentil noodles, they hold together well. The texture is different than traditional pasta, but not super noticeable.
It's best to eat the salad within a week from making it. My personal preference is within 5 days as the noodles start to lose their structure around then.
Red Lentil Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Red Lentil Pasta Salad
- 8.8 oz red lentil pasta
- 1 cup sliced banana peppers
- 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can drained chickpeas
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 15 oz can of drained quartered artichokes in brine
Italian Herb Infused Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
Red Lentil Pasta Salad
- Cook the red lentil pasta noodles al dente according to package instructions.
- In a large bowl, add the drained artichokes, chickpeas, diced red onion, banana peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to the cooked red lentil pasta.
Italian Herb Infused Dressing
- Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour over the pasta salad and stir well.
Notes
- Serve the pasta salad cold. The longer it sits, the more flavorful the salad will be.
- If you don't have dried Italian herb seasoning, you can make your own by mixing dried thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and basil.
Nutrition
(Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)
Lynn says
I am not vegan or GF but I am always looking for recipes to make and bring to my friend's house. I think to be truly Vegan, you have to leave out the honey for the dressing.
Monica Nedeff says
Thanks for catching that, Lynn! Honey is an animal product and not vegan, so I changed it to sugar. Hope you and your friend enjoy the salad!