Budget Friendly Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

This post is all about the best cheap vegan pasta salad recipe that’s perfect for weekly meal preps.

This ultra-budget-friendly vegan pasta salad costs around $5 total and takes less than 20 minutes to throw together!

It’s made with cheap pantry staples like pasta, canned olives, and chickpeas, plus a few fresh ingredients for flavor and color.

This recipe is perfect for meal prep, work lunches, or anyone looking for healthy vegan meals on a tight budget.

It’s filling, has protein, is super customizable, and lasts great in the fridge for days.

I hope you enjoy this simple vegan pasta salad recipe and it makes it into your weekly meal prep rotation!

Best Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

Vegan pasta salad ingredients

• 8 oz (½ box) pasta (any shape is fine, but rotini is the one I used in this recipe)
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil

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Easy vegan pasta salad recipe instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
2. Add the pasta to a large bowl along with chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, and chopped spinach.
3. Drizzle the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper over your other ingredients.
4. Toss everything until everything is coated evenly.
5. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and olive oil as needed.
6. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Vegna pasta salad cost breakdown

These prices are approximate and will for sure vary by location.

If you’re able to buy in bulk, grow any of these ingredients, or buy things on sale, that will be the easiest way to make this pasta salad more affordable!

Here’s a quick cost breakdown for planning purposes:

• Pasta: $1
• Chickpeas: $0.89 (dried beans can be more affordable than canned beans)
• Olives: $1–$1.25
• Cherry tomatoes: $1–$1.50 (freeze the rest of the pint or add it to other recipes!)
• Spinach: $0.75–$1 (using only a handful, freeze the rest so it doesn’t go bad!)
• Oil/lemon/salt/pepper: Classic pantry staples that are great to have on hand for other budget-friendly recipes.

Total: $4.50–$5.50

Not too bad, yeah?! Again, this will vary, but this recipe can make 4-6 servings, and you’ll still have a few ingredients leftover for other recipes.

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Affordable vegan pasta salad add-ins

I wanted to offer a super easy base as the initial recipe, but if you have any of these items in your pantry or home, they can spruce up the pasta salad even more!

This can help it be more filling and won’t raise the cost by a crazy amount:

• Frozen peas
• Shredded carrots
• Red onion
• Celery
• Canned corn

Budget-friendly vegan pasta salad variations

Mediterranean Style
Add oregano, vinegar, and red onion.

Protein Boost
Use an extra can of chickpeas or add white beans (still cheap!).

Creamy Version
Add 1–2 tbsp vegan mayo + a splash of vinegar.

Zesty Version
Add lemon zest and garlic powder.

Spicy Version
Red pepper flakes and garlic powder

FAQ: Budget-Friendly Vegan Pasta Salad

Can I make this pasta salad even cheaper?

For sure! You can easily swap cherry tomatoes for diced Roma tomatoes, use frozen spinach instead of fresh, or choose store-brand pasta and olives.

Always be sure to keep an eye open for produce that’s on sale, or if possible, try to buy ingredients in bulk.

How long does vegan pasta salad last in the fridge?

This pasta salad recipe lasts about 3–4 days in the refrigerator. But make sure to do a sniff test and trust your gut as the days pass.

This pasta salad, unfortunately, can’t be frozen and is probably best within the first few days.

Can I make this recipe oil-free?

Sure! Just replace the olive oil with a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Don’t forget to add some seasonings, though so it doesn’t taste boring.

What pasta shape works best for pasta salad?

Really whatever pasta you have in your pantry will do!

Rotini is definitely the most popular, but short pasta like bowtie, penne, shells, or fusilli makes it easy for the dressing to cover all of the pasta evenly.

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Can I add protein to this pasta salad?

Yep! Chickpeas are already protein-packed, but you can easily throw in other beans like white beans or even edamame.

You could also use chickpea pasta or lentil pasta for a bit of added protein as well. Beans are relatively budget-friendly, but specialty pasta can get a bit pricier.

Can I use canned vegetables to save money?

Yep! Canned options can really help to reduce costs. The recipe I used had canned olives and chickpeas. If you want to spruce up the recipe more, you could use canned corn or tomatoes as well.

How do I keep the spinach from getting soggy?

To keep the spinach extra fresh, make sure to add it right at the end or layer it on top if you are meal prepping the salad. I’ve also found that chopping up the spinach into smaller pieces helps to keep your salad from having long wilted spinach in your salad.

Lastly, be sure you rinse and dry your pasta before adding greens. If you add the spinach on top of warm pasta, it will wilt quickly!

Can I make this vegan pasta salad gluten-free?

For sure! Simply pick up a gluten-free pasta and be mindful of any added seasoning you include that may have gluten in them.

What can I use instead of cherry tomatoes?

You can use whatever type of tomatoes you prefer. Cherry tomatoes are popular for this recipe because the oily dressing can be heavy and way down other types of tomatoes.

Canned tomatoes can be more affordable, but just be sure to drain them and dry them with a towel really well so your salad isn’t watery.

Does this pasta salad taste good cold?

Yep! Pasta salads are generally cold salads. They’re best cold or even room temperature. This makes it super easy to bring them to a picnic or to bring them to work!

Have any other cheap vegan pasta salad recipes you love?

Let us know in the comments below! I always love finding new affordable vegan pasta salad recipes to try!

Stay well, 

Maggie 

This post was all about the best vegan pasta salad recipe.

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