Crispy Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing
Cheesy air fryer pasta chips piled over crunchy romaine, cucumber, red onion, and avocado in a creamy lemon dressing. The viral crunchy pasta salad, made vegan.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 390kcal
Cost $9–$11
Ingredients
Crispy pasta
- 8 oz pasta short shapes like penne or fusilli
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan grated
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
Creamy dressing
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 3 tbsp vegan yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp agave
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Salad
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted water until just al dente, then drain well and pat dry. Drying matters, wet pasta will not crisp.
- Season and air-fry. Toss the pasta with the olive oil, vegan parmesan, garlic powder, and salt. Air-fry at 400 F (200 C) for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and crunchy.
- Make the dressing. While the pasta crisps, whisk together the vegan mayo, yogurt, Dijon, lemon juice, agave, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Chop the salad. Add the romaine, red onion, cucumber, avocado, and herbs to a large bowl.
- Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat everything.
- Add the crunch. Tip in the warm crispy pasta, toss once, and serve straight away so the chips stay crunchy.
Notes
No air fryer: Roast the seasoned pasta on a lined tray at 400 F (200 C) for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking halfway. Dry the pasta: Patting the boiled pasta dry is the difference between crispy chips and chewy pasta. Serve straight away: The crispy pasta softens once dressed, so add it last and serve right away.
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 612IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg