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Pasta salad, to me, is typically a summer picnic food, but we thought it would be fun to make it with more autumn-inspired. This fall pasta salad is easy to take on the go and enjoy wherever life may take you. It’s also super easy to make in the midst of the busy holiday season and can be made in larger batches to enjoy over an extended period.
For the dressing, we used a combination of avocado and dijon mustard, along with fresh sage and thyme to add a seasonal flavor burst. After mixing in a few fresh veggies, you’re ready to pack it into your bento box and be on your way!
This recipe is a part of our Fall Bento Box Series, sharing meals that are perfect for packing on the go! Check out our video above, sharing the step by step process of making this Fall Pasta Salad along with our Grilled Fall Vegetable Bread Boat and a Hearty Fall Salad w/ Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Tahini Sage Dressing.
This is also a part of our monthly collaboration with Caitlin of From My Bowl! We both put together a series of three Fall Bento Box recipes, including her amazing Sweet Potato Kale Boats with Easy Tahini Dressing above! It is healthy, oil-free and easy to make.
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Fall Pasta Salad w/ Avocado Dijon Dressing (Oil-free)
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
A fall pasta salad made with avocado, fresh veggies, herbs and just a handful of other easy to find wholesome ingredients!
Ingredients
Avocado Dijon Dressing:
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2–1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper as desired
Pasta Salad:
- 1 (12 oz.) bag tricolored spiraled pasta
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the packaging directions. Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain and run under cold water to cool. Set aside.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- To a large bowl, add the pasta, dressing and all of the remaining ingredients. Stir until all of the pasta is coated and everything is uniform.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.*
Notes
- This recipe tastes better as it sits, so I suggest setting it into the refrigerator for an hour or two before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Entree, Appetizer
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
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The dressing looks so fresh. May I know whether the fresh sage and thyme can be replaced with dried ones or just omit them ? Thanks!
Yes, they can be replaced with dry spices. You can convert using a 1 teaspoon to tablespoon ratio.
We are enjoying this recipe. I added some chopped onion and then, right before serving, chopped tomato. We made it a day ahead, put it in the fridge, and about 2 hours before serving, took it out of the fridge (and added the tomatoes).
That sounds delicious! So glad that you liked it 🙂