Asian Pasta Salad is made with chopped vegetables, pasta, and a simple soy sauce dressing – and it only takes about 20 minutes to make!

Who else is on the hunt for tasty simple side dishes to serve up with your favorite grilled chicken or to take to a picnic? This super simple Asian pasta salad is one of my favorites to make, because it’s quick, easy, and delicious. You can’t beat simple chopped veggies, pasta, and a really easy dressing that brings it all together.

The best part? You can customize this salad to your heart’s desire. Hate celery? Leave it out! Want to make it more of a one bowl meal? Add some cooked chicken! Other ingredients that I often add to this salad are shelled edamame, peanuts instead of almonds, and sometimes a can of mandarin oranges (though my kids don’t think that fruit should be in pasta salad so I often just serve that on the side).

Tips and tricks for making Asian Pasta Salad

• There’s nothing creamy in this salad and there is no meat or dairy (if made as written), which makes it a great candidate for taking on picnics and eating outside. It’s delicious cold but it’s just fine at room temperature, too.
• Other options for the dressing would be my Asian Sesame or Peanut Lime dressing. Both are great in this.
• Want to add a little heat? You can replace the honey with sweet chili sauce in the dressing.
• This salad travels very well. I just like to add the nuts right before serving so that they don’t get soft (because of the moisture from the dressing). Taking it on a trip? I love these bowls with lids!

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Asian Pasta Salad

Asian Pasta Salad is made with chopped vegetables, pasta, and a simple soy sauce dressing – and it only takes about 20 minutes to make!

• Author: Melissa

Ingredients

• 2 cups small dry pasta (about 8 ounces)
• ½ cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
• ½ cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup finely grated carrot
• 1/2 cup finely sliced purple cabbage
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white or rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried ground ginger
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
2. Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add the bell pepper, celery, carrot, almonds, cabbage, and onion.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic powder, and ginger.
4. Add the dressing to the pasta.
5. Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Notes

If you are preparing this ahead of time, leave out the nuts until just before serving so that they don’t get soft in the dressing.

Love this Asian Pasta Salad recipe?! There are so many more pasta salad recipes to come; stay tuned and enjoy!