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Asian Pasta Salad is made with chopped vegetables, pasta, and a simple soy sauce dressing – and it only takes about 20 minutes to make! This delightful salad is a celebration of fresh vegetables and hearty pasta, all tossed in a tantalizingly tangy and sweet dressing that will leave your taste buds dancing.
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.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect side to complement your favorite grilled dishes or a refreshing main course that stands out on its own, this salad is designed to impress. This pasta salad also complements dishes like teriyaki chicken, beef short ribs, or dumplings, echoing the Asian flavors in the salad.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Asian pasta salad can be customized to suit individual tastes and dietary preferences, making it a hit among a wide range of people. The ability to include or exclude ingredients allows everyone to tailor the dish to their liking.
- The dressing for Asian pasta salads often combines savory, sweet, and tangy elements, creating a complex and appealing flavor profile that enhances the taste of the salad components.
- Asian pasta salad is a convenient meal option, perfect for make-ahead lunches, potlucks, or gatherings. It’s often served cold or at room temperature, making it easy to store and transport.
Recipe Ingredients
- Small dry pasta: The base of the salad, choose your favorite shape for texture.
- Yellow bell pepper: Adds a sweet, colorful crunch.
- Celery: Brings a fresh, crisp texture.
- Carrot: For a hint of sweetness and vibrant color.
- Purple cabbage: Provides a beautiful color contrast and a slight peppery flavor.
- Sliced almonds: Adds a nutty crunch and richness.
- Red onion: Offers a sharp, slightly sweet flavor.
- Olive oil: The foundation of the dressing, lending richness and moisture.
- Vinegar: Introduces a tangy brightness to the dressing.
- Soy sauce: Infuses the salad with umami and depth.
- Sesame oil, optional: For a nutty, aromatic finish.
- Honey or maple syrup: Balances the acidity with a touch of sweetness.
- Garlic powder: Adds a subtle, aromatic warmth.
- Ground ginger: Provides a spicy, slightly sweet flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Hate celery? Leave it out!
- For a more filling one-bowl meal, include cooked chicken.
- Additional ingredients can be: shelled edamame, peanuts (as an alternative to almonds), or mandarin oranges.
How To Make Very Veggie Asian Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add the bell pepper, celery, carrot, almonds, cabbage, and onion.
- In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic powder, and ginger.
- Add the dressing to the pasta.
- Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.
Recipe FAQs
Want to add a little heat? You can replace the honey with sweet chili sauce in the dressing.
Yep! Make sure you rinse the pasta well in cold water (you can even give it a plunge in ice water). This stops it from cooking more (which means the texture won’t get too soft) and it keeps your other ingredients from getting warm from the pasta too.
Only cook the pasta until it is al dente (the shortest cooking time recommended on the package). Over cooked pasta gets mushy and tends to break when stirred.
Expert Tips
- 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.
- 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?
More Salads Ideas To Consider
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Very Veggie Asian Pasta Salad
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
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add the bell pepper, celery, carrot, almonds, cabbage, and onion.
- In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic powder, and ginger.
- Add the dressing to the pasta.
- Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.
Notes
- Other options for the dressing would be my Asian Sesame or Peanut Lime dressing. Both are great in this.
- 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).
- 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 the versatility of this recipe! I think adding chicken for instance (as you suggested as a possible addition) sounds incredible! Great recipe.