This Jammy Tomato and Lemon Pasta Salad feels like summer in a bowl. Tossed in a bright and citrusy tomato lemon vinaigrette with fresh basil and vegan parmesan.
This jammy tomato and lemon pasta salad is summer in a bowl. Tossed with a zesty tomato-lemon vinaigrette, fresh basil, and creamy vegan parmesan, it’s bright, flavorful, and perfect for picnics, potlucks, or weekday lunches.
Why You’ll Love This Jammy Tomato & Lemon Pasta Salad
- Make-ahead friendly. Both the vinaigrette or full pasta salad can be made in advance to save time.
- Seasonal simplicity. Just a handful of simple in season ingredients help build the bold flavors in this salad.
- Customize it. Adjust spice, change up the herbs, or use your favorite pasta to make this salad work for you.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta: Use pasta shapes that will hold sauce well like Mezzi Rigantoni, cavatappi, fusilli, or orecchiette.
- Tomatoes: Sweet cherry tomatoes work the best, but Campari tomatoes can be a good alternative when out of season.
- Lemon: Fresh lemons are needed for both juice and zest.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Swap with white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
- Spices: Use cumin seeds and allepo pepper/red pepper flakes for warmth and kick. Or swap for sweet paprika for less heat.
- Red Onion: Swap for white onion.
- Vegan Parmesan: Completely optional. For reference, I used VioLife. Can be subbed for 1-2 tbsp of nutritional yeast and extra salt to taste for that cheesy note.
- Basil: If not a fan of basil, consider using a combination of parsley and arugula.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup or agave syrup helps balance the acidity, but can be omitted based on preference.
How to Make This Pasta Salad with No Mayo
Break down the tomatoes
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds, cook until fragrant (about 45 seconds).
- Add halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Sauté 5–8 minutes until tomatoes break down.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and Aleppo pepper, cook 2–3 minutes until jammy. Remove from heat to cool.
Build the dressing base
- In a jar, combine grated garlic, lemon zest, and juice. Let sit for 5 minutes to mellow.
- Add cooled tomato mixture, vinegar, remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, and maple syrup. Whisk to combine. Season to taste. Chill until ready.
Cook the pasta
- Boil in generously salted water until al dente. Drain, and drizzle with oil to prevent sticking if needed.
Marinate the onions
- Toss thinly sliced red onion with lemon zest, juice, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Let sit 5 minutes.
Assemble the salad
- Add cooked pasta, vinaigrette, basil, vegan parmesan, and black pepper to the onions. Toss well. Adjust seasoning and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- The oil from your jarred sun-dried tomatoes is packed with flavor and can be used to cook with.
- Layer your flavor. Cook your pasta in well salted water. You can follow package instructions to find recommendations. Typically, for 4 quarts of water, 1 tbsp of kosher salt can work. See Q&A regarding concerns for sodium intake.
- Don’t rinse pasta. Will keep the starch intact, which will help the pasta better absorb the vinaigrette.
- Refresh leftovers. Stir well before storing again. If needed, add a splash of oil to refresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are multiple points where you can control the sodium. When salting pasta water, do note that the pasta is not absorbing all that salt it is cooking in. It is only taking in some salt, the rest gets drained away. You can always do without if you prefer, just note that the pasta overall might not feel as flavorful. Alternatively, for less salt, swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast and use a lighter hand when adding salt to the dressing. Always taste before adding more salt, you may find you don’t need to add as much as you think!
Yes! Just swap the pasta for your favorite gluten-free alternative. To maintain the texture, make sure to cook until al dente (usually 1-2 minutes short from the recommended cook time). For best results, make the vinaigrette ahead and make your pasta fresh before tossing together.
Use a legume-based pasta in place of regular pasta or add a protein you enjoy along with it. Consider adding marinated tofu, a tofu cutlet, or stir in some cooked vegan sausage if you are allergic to soy.
This pasta salad is best freshly made, but does hold up well in the fridge. Store the dressed pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just give the dressing a good stir before using.
Make It Balanced
This pasta is designed as a side that can count towards your carbohydrate and vegetable intake. To balance this out into a full meal, I recommend either using a protein based bean pasta or serving this with extra protein. Some good options to consider:
More Pasta Salad Dishes to Try
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
Description
This Jammy Tomato and Lemon Pasta Salad feels like summer in a bowl. Tossed in a bright and citrusy tomato lemon vinaigrette with fresh basil and vegan parmesan.
Jammy Tomato Lemon Vinaigrette
Pasta Salad
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a medium-sized sauté pan over medium low heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, stirring occasionally in the oil until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes along with a generous pinch of salt and sauté together for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, Aleppo pepper, and a pinch of salt, then continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. By this time, the tomato mixture should be jammy in consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- To a storage jar, add the garlic and lemon zest and juice then allow that to sit while you wait for the tomato mixture to cool.
- Transfer the tomatoes to the jar along with the vinegar, remaining 2 tbsp of oil, and maple syrup then whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust with additional salt as desired. Seal the jar then place in the fridge until ready to use.
- When ready to prep the salad, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside. If waiting a longer period of time, consider adding a drizzle of olive oil to the noodles to keep them from sticking together.
- While the pasta cooks, add the sliced onion to a large mixing bowl with the zest and juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt. Mix well with your hands then let it sit while you finish the pasta.
- Add the cooked pasta to the mixing bowl along with the lemon tomato vinaigrette, basil, parmesan, and fresh cracked black pepper. Toss to combine, then taste and adjust with additional salt as needed, then enjoy!
Notes
The oil from your jarred sun-dried tomatoes is packed with flavor and can be used to cook with.
Layer your flavor. Cook your pasta in well salted water. You can follow package instructions to find recommendations. Typically, for 4 quarts of water, 1 tbsp of kosher salt can work. See Q&A regarding concerns for sodium intake.
Don’t rinse pasta. Will keep the starch intact, which will help the pasta better absorb the vinaigrette.
Refresh leftovers. Stir well before storing again. If needed, add a splash of oil to refresh.
This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase from those links. I only recommend and share products that I know, trust and personally use myself!