This healthy no-mayo rigatoni pasta salad with veggies is an easy-to-make dish that comes together in 25 minutes. Rigatoni noodles are tossed with sautéed veggies, toasted walnuts, capers, parmesan, lemon juice, and a bounty of fresh herbs. This Mediterranean pasta salad tastes delicious, whether served warm or cold.
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I'm sure we can all agree that everyone needs one crowd-pleasing pasta salad recipe for potlucks, backyard BBQs, and get-togethers. And if you're wondering how to make the best pasta salad without mayo or heavy cream, this easy and healthy pasta salad recipe fits the bill!
This recipe is inspired by Alison Roman's pasta salad that my niece made for us on our recent visit (thanks, N!).
Perfectly cooked noodles tossed with nutrient-rich vegetables, combined with zesty capers, lemon juice, and fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, or basil. It is the perfect side dish for backyard BBQs or picnics!
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Why My Family Loves This Recipe
- No Mayo: It's light and perfect for picnics, BBQs, and potlucks.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Can be served hot or cold.
- Healthy pasta salad: It's packed with nutrient-rich veggies and healthy fats from olive oil, parmesan cheese, and walnuts.
- Ready in 25 minutes: Perfect for weeknights.
- Easy to customize: Use vegetables and herbs you have on hand!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This easy vegetable pasta salad is made with healthy, seasonal ingredients that bring a burst of flavor to the table. Here is what we need:
For Salad
- Rigatoni: You can also use ziti, penne, or rotini. I recommend using a tubular pasta instead of short cut of pasta for a more balanced bite. You can also use wheat pasta.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: used to sauté the vegetables and add a light flavor.
- Walnuts: I highly recommend toasting the walnuts to intensify their nutty flavor. If you don't like walnuts, you can also use slivered almonds, pine nuts, or even pistachios.
- Garlic: You will need two teaspoons of minced garlic (about two cloves).
- Veggies: I use a combination of scallions, cherry or grape tomatoes, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, onion, and mushrooms are other good alternatives. Cut the vegetables into pieces of the same size for an even bite.
- Seasonings: you'll need salt, black pepper, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat.
- Capers: They add a delicious salty, tanginess to the dish. You can omit them or substitute them with olives of your choice.
For Finishing
- Lemon Juice: You'll need 1 large lemon, which yields about 2 tablespoons of juice. Alternatively, use apple cider vinegar.
- Parmesan: I love the nutty flavor of parmesan in this recipe. You can also use feta, mozzarella, or goat cheese crumbles instead.
- Fresh Herbs: Use any combination of fresh basil leaves, parsley, mint, dill, or cilantro, depending on your preferences or what you have on hand.
Variation Tip: This pasta salad is easily customizable, so play around with the ingredients! Use seasonal vegetables to match your meal. For example, add butternut squash or pumpkin cubes to complement your fall dinner table.
How to Make Rigatoni Pasta Salad
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this easy pasta salad with vegetables. Scroll below for the printable recipe card and specific ingredient measurements.
- Cook the pasta in the instant pot by adding water, salt, olive oil, and pasta to the pot. Stir the mixture, then close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Wait 5 minutes, then release the pressure manually. Drain and set aside. Alternatively, cook the pasta al dente on the stove according to package directions.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan, then add walnuts. Sauté until golden-brown, then remove.
- In the same pan, add more oil, green onions, bell pepper, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and dried basil.
- Add the zucchini, tomatoes, capers, and minced garlic, then sauté again until the zucchini is tender yet al dente.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir until well combined. Then, top with lemon juice and additional green onions. Toss together.
- Top off with grated parmesan, toasted walnuts, and fresh herbs.
Serving Suggestions
This vibrant pasta salad makes a delicious light lunch or a great side dish.
Serve as a meal: To make it a balanced meal, consider adding a protein source, such as hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas, cooked bacon bits, or grilled chicken. Serve it with this 15-minute toasted garlic bread!
Serve as a side dish: Pair this healthy pasta salad with grilled Mediterranean chicken, lamb chops, salmon patties, or tandoori chicken.
How to Store Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors continue to develop, so it tastes better the next day! If it looks a little dry, add a splash of olive oil or water just before serving.
For best texture, keep the walnuts separate and mix them in just before serving to maintain their crunch.
If you want to reheat it, consider microwaving it or warming it on the stovetop with a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of water to add moisture.
I don't recommend freezing it because the texture of the pasta and vegetables will be affected.
Pasta Salad Variations
- Add Protein: Toss in chickpeas, cooked Italian sausage, ground beef, grilled shrimp, or pre-cooked chicken for a protein boost.
- Make it Vegan: Skip the parmesan cheese and double-check your pasta label to confirm.
- Use Different Nuts: Swap walnuts for toasted almonds, pine nuts, or pistachios.
- Switch the Pasta: Penne, farfalle, rotini, or fusilli work well too.
- Boost the Mediterranean flavors: Add kalamata olives, crumbled feta (if not vegan), or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Slightly undercooking the rigatoni helps it hold up better in the salad and absorb more flavor from the dressing.
- Cool Pasta Before Mixing: Let the pasta cool for 10-15 minutes before tossing it with veggies and herbs to prevent wilting or sogginess. After cooking, toss them with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté for Flavor: Lightly sautéing the vegetables enhances their natural sweetness and adds depth-don't skip this step!
- Use Good Olive Oil: A high-quality extra-virgin olive oil makes a significant difference in flavor, as it serves as the base of the dressing.
- Add Walnuts at the End: For the best crunch, mix in walnuts just before serving or keep them separate when storing leftovers.
- Play around with ingredients: Customize the salad by adding other vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, and mushrooms. You could also mix in a protein like hard-boiled egg, chickpeas, cooked bacon bits, shredded chicken, or ham.
- Make it seasonal: During summer, add squash, asparagus, or green beans to boost the flavors. For fall, add winter squash, pumpkin, carrots, or Brussels sprouts.
- For Vegan Pasta Salad: Turn this recipe into a vegan pasta salad by either omitting the parmesan cheese or using dairy-free parmesan instead.
FAQ
Absolutely! It's usually even better the next day, as the pasta and veggies have time to absorb the flavors from the dressing and seasonings. Hold off on adding the walnuts until ready to serve.
You can use Penne, Ziti, farfalle, rotini, or fusilli instead of Rigatoni pasta in this recipe.
Yes. Crumbled feta or goat cheese would be great additions or alternatives to parmesan cheese. You can add cooked Italian sausage, grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas for an extra protein boost.
Yes, capers add a tangy punch, but you can skip them or replace them with chopped olives.
The best pasta for sauce retention is rigatoni, penne, or rotini. These pasta shapes have ridges and holes that help the sauce cling to the pasta and coat the inside, ensuring each bite is full of flavor.
More Vibrant Salad Recipes
Check out a variety of salads and side dishes.
📖 Recipe
Rigatoni Pasta Salad With Veggies (No Mayo)
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta can use penne or rotini (about 3 cups/ ½ a box)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ cup walnuts coarsely chopped or slivered almonds
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic 2 garlic cloves
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 cup bell pepper, thinly sliced any color
- 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced or 2 medium
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste (skip for mild)
- ½ teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning mix
- 3 tablespoons capers drained
For Finishing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon) or 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup fresh herbs any combination of parsley, mint, dill, cilantro or basil
Instructions
- Cook pasta in the Instant Pot by adding 4 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil and pasta to the pot. Give it a stir and close the lid. Cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. (Check pasta cooking time chart for other shapes). Wait 5 minutes, then release pressure manually. Drain pasta and set aside. Alternatively, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water with 1 teaspoon olive oil, as per package directions, or until it is cooked all the way. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and saute them till light golden brown (about 45 seconds). Remove the nuts and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside for later.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish, add the thinly sliced green onions, bell pepper along with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and dried basil. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add zucchini along with tomatoes, capers, minced garlic and saute another 3-4 minutes, until the zucchini softens a bit. Turn off the heat.
- Add cooked pasta to the pan. Add lemon juice, reserved green onions and toss everything until well combined. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the grated or shaved parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts and chopped herbs. Toss until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with extra grated or shaved parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Slightly undercooking the rigatoni helps it hold up better in the salad and absorb more flavor from the dressing.
- Cool Pasta Before Mixing: Let the pasta cool for 10-15 minutes before tossing it with veggies and herbs to prevent wilting or sogginess. After cooking, toss them with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté for Flavor: Lightly sautéing the vegetables enhances their natural sweetness and adds depth-don't skip this step!
- Use Good Olive Oil: A high-quality extra-virgin olive oil makes a significant difference in flavor, as it serves as the base of the dressing.
- Add Walnuts at the End: For the best crunch, mix in walnuts just before serving or keep them separate when storing leftovers.
- Play around with ingredients: Customize the salad by adding other vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, and mushrooms. You could also mix in a protein like hard-boiled egg, chickpeas, cooked bacon bits, shredded chicken, or ham.
- Make it seasonal: During summer, add squash, asparagus, or green beans to boost the flavors. For fall, add winter squash, pumpkin, carrots, or Brussels sprouts.
- For Vegan Pasta Salad: Turn this recipe into a vegan pasta salad by either omitting the parmesan cheese or using dairy-free parmesan instead.
Sonny says
Thought recipe great, great latitude. Added green olives was a bit overwhelming unless you like olives.
Aneesha says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe.