Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

GF V DF VG SF Aug 23, 2025

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If you love sundried tomatoes and pesto, then you're sure to love this pasta salad. The base is gluten free red lentil pasta, which is less glycemic, higher in protein and fiber, and free of refined starches. Incidentally, the dressing is vegan and oil free, as there's neither mayo nor oil in the dressing. Instead, I'm utilizing avocados and pistachios in the dressing for some whole food fats that also bundle fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Also check out my Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Mediterranean Sweet Potato Salad recipes with a light oil and vinegar dressing, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and chickpeas

SALAD
- 8.8oz box (246 g) Red lentil pasta
- 2 medium (200 g) Tomato
- 1 medium (150 g) Onion
- 1/2 cup (80 g) Olives

DRESSING
- 4 oz (113 g) Frozen spinach, thawed
- 4 oz (113 g) Sun dried tomatoes
- 1 medium (100 g) Avocado
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Lemon juice
- 6 tbsp (30 g) Nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup (30 g) Pistachios
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Minced garlic
- 1 tsp (6 g) Salt
- 1/2 cup (120 g) Water

1. Cook your pasta according to its instructions. Drain, and set aside in a large bowl

2. Meanwhile, add your frozen spinach to a small pan over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned and most of the water has cooked off. If you don't mind the higher cost, replace the frozen spinach with either fresh spinach or fresh basil. You do not need to cook the fresh spinach/basil; only cook it if you're using frozen spinach

3. Finely cut your tomatoes into a medium dice, finely dice an onion, and halve your olives. Add all 3 to the bowl with the pasta, and mix. 1 pint (10 oz, 283 g) of cherry tomatoes (halved) will also work

4. Add your sun dried tomatoes to the food processor, and pulse until roughly chopped. Add in the spinach and the rest of the dressing ingredients, and blend until well combined. Thin out with water as needed

5. Add the dressing into the pasta bowl, and mix until fully combined. Serve cold or warm

6. To make it nut free, replace the pistachios with pumpkin seeds

7. If you don't have avocado, here's a substitution. Microwave 1/4 cup + 2 tsp (70 g) water in a medium glass for a minute. Add 1/4 cup (30 g) of pistachios (or pumpkin seeds), and let soak for at least 10 minutes. This will yield a similar creaminess and nutritional profile as the 1 medium (100 g) avocado

8. For some protein and omega 3s, I'm adding a can of sardines onto my pasta salad. You can also go with any leftover cooked chicken, beef, turkey, or fish

https://www.poormanprotein.com/recipes/vegan-pasta-salad

Description

 If you love sundried tomatoes and pesto, then you're sure to love this pasta salad. The base is gluten free red lentil pasta, which is less glycemic, higher in protein and fiber, and free of refined starches. Incidentally, the dressing is vegan and oil free, as there's neither mayo nor oil in the dressing. Instead, I'm utilizing avocados and pistachios in the dressing for some whole food fats that also bundle fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Also check out my Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Mediterranean Sweet Potato Salad recipes with a light oil and vinegar dressing, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and chickpeas

Time

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Cost

Total Cost:

Cost per Serving:

$2.20

Ingredients

Serving(s)

Salad

8.8oz box Red lentil pasta
2 medium Tomato
1 medium Onion
1/2 cup Olives

Dressing

4 oz Frozen spinach, thawed
4 oz Sun dried tomatoes
1 medium Avocado
1/4 cup Lemon juice
6 tbsp Nutritional yeast
1/4 cup Pistachios
2 tbsp Minced garlic
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Water

Instructions

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1. Cook your pasta according to its instructions. Drain, and set aside in a large bowl


2. Meanwhile, add your frozen spinach to a small pan over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned and most of the water has cooked off. If you don't mind the higher cost, replace the frozen spinach with either fresh spinach or fresh basil. You do not need to cook the fresh spinach/basil; only cook it if you're using frozen spinach


3. Finely cut your tomatoes into a medium dice, finely dice an onion, and halve your olives. Add all 3 to the bowl with the pasta, and mix. 1 pint (10 oz, 283 g) of cherry tomatoes (halved) will also work


4. Add your sun dried tomatoes to the food processor, and pulse until roughly chopped. Add in the spinach and the rest of the dressing ingredients, and blend until well combined. Thin out with water as needed


5. Add the dressing into the pasta bowl, and mix until fully combined. Serve cold or warm



6. To make it nut free, replace the pistachios with pumpkin seeds


7. If you don't have avocado, here's a substitution. Microwave 1/4 cup + 2 tsp (70 g) water in a medium glass for a minute. Add 1/4 cup (30 g) of pistachios (or pumpkin seeds), and let soak for at least 10 minutes. This will yield a similar creaminess and nutritional profile as the 1 medium (100 g) avocado


8. For some protein and omega 3s, I'm adding a can of sardines onto my pasta salad. You can also go with any leftover cooked chicken, beef, turkey, or fish

Nutrition Facts

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Servings: 5

Calories: 345

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Total Fat: 10.0g (13 %)
 Saturated Fat: 1.4g (7 %)
 Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g
 Monounsaturated Fat: 5.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg (0 %)
Sodium: 782mg (34 %)
Total Carbohydrate: 49.5g (18 %)
 Fiber: 12.2g (43 %)
 Net Carbs: 37.3g
 Total Sugar: 8.9g
  Added Sugar: 0.0g (0 %)
Protein: 19.5g (39 %)

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Vitamin B12: 22.52mcg (938 %)
Vitamin D: 0.0mcg (0 %)
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Calcium: 109mg (8 %)
Iron: 6.34mg (35 %)
Magnesium: 95mg (23 %)
Potassium: 1328mg (28 %)

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Glycemic Index

:

38.9

Glycemic Load

:

21.2

Sources of Inspiration

https://youtu.be/F5c_rQ8Xh8o?si=pnUf1e5evNGgNZGR

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