Vegan BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad

Our last official recipe for summer 2021 is this delicious BBQ ranch pasta salad. This pasta salad is a perfect meal to end summer and great for meal prepping and back to school. This meal is filled with veggies like cucumbers, corn, bell peppers, green onion, red onion, spinach and barbecue tofu.

I am not a big meal prep lover but if there is one thing I could eat for days on end it is definitely pasta salad. The longer it sits the better it gets and is a great way to make a nutritious meal packed with lots of veggies! I made this recipe over Labor Day Weekend and it was so good I knew I had to share it with you all. It is easy to make and I think it is perfect for school and office lunches. You can also enjoy this cold or at room temperature.

Side Dish or Main?

I think this bbq ranch pasta salad can definitely be enjoyed both ways as the star of a meal or as a side dish. My intention with this recipe is for it to be more of the star though. It packs in a lot of protein with the tofu and the use of chickpea pasta, making it very filling! If you want to enjoy it as a side dish it would be great with a vegan burger and you could omit the tofu if you like.

Customize It!

The fun thing about pasta salad is how easy it is to make your own. You can add in anything you like to this and it will taste delicious. I went with some of my favorite veggies like cucumbers and bell pepper. I also love adding spinach to a pasta salad because it wilts down and it’s a great way to get in some extra greens. Adding the green and red onion gives it some extra delicious flavor without being overbearing.

Here are some other ideas for things you can add to this pasta salad: black beans, chickpeas, jalapeño, olives, tomatoes, avocado, vegan cheese, zucchini, or even something crunchy like chips! If you want this to be a bit creamier you can add in some vegan yogurt or a vegan sour cream as well.

Is Barbecue Sauce Vegan?

I’m not sure why BBQ sauce is one of those things I didn’t think was very vegan friendly – I guess because it is so heavily associated with meat. But have no fear, a lot of BBQ sauces are vegan! My preferred brand and what I used for this recipe is the Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. There are also some great ones at Trader Joe’s! The biggest thing you need to look out for is anything that would have honey in it, so just always check your labels.

How Long Does This Last?

This will last in the fridge for up to 3 days! I would suggest if you want to keep it around for longer than that to not add the BBQ sauce and vegan ranch until you decide to eat it. Another thing you could do is prep the ingredients individually and then combine them so they stay fresher. The cucumbers and spinach will definitely soften up a lot as it sits around.

FAQs

• Is this gluten free? yes it is! as long as you use a gluten free pasta like the chickpea pasta or another substitute. You can of course use regular pasta as well.
• Can I omit the tofu? of course, you can use chickpeas, black beans, tempeh, seitan – anything you like.
• What vegan ranch did you use? I really love the one from Daiya. I also have a homemade recipe in the cookbook.
• Could I use something other than BBQ sauce? If you don’t love BBQ sauce you can definitely use Buffalo sauce here, would be so delicious.

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BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is a perfect meal to end summer and great for meal prepping and back to school. This meal is filled with veggies like cucumbers, corn, bell peppers, green onion, red onion, spinach and barbecue tofu.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

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Barbecue Tofu

• 1 block (14 ounces/397g) extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
• Spray oil
• ½ teaspoon Trader Joe’s BBQ seasoning optional
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce (36g)

Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 6 ounces pasta of choice (170g)
• 2 cups spinach (85g), chopped
• ½ small red onion finely chopped (about 2 ounces/55g)
• ⅔ cup frozen corn thawed (90g)
• 2-3 green onions chopped (about 1 ounce/30g)
• ½ English cucumber finely chopped (about 6 ounces/170g)
• 1 bell pepper chopped (about 5.5 ounces/155g)
• ¼ cup BBQ sauce (72g), plus more for drizzling on final dish
• 3 tablespoons vegan ranch (45g), plus more for drizzling on final dish
• ¼ cup (60ml) water

Instructions

 

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it and add pasta, cook to your preference. Once pasta is done strain and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• In the meantime coat a medium to large nonstick frypan with spray oil. Add the cubed tofu and if you have it use the Trader Joe’s BBQ Seasoning (or any BBQ style seasoning you like). Cook the tofu over medium heat for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the tofu is golden and crispy on most sides.
• While the tofu cooks in a separate pan you can panfry the corn a bit if desired. Add a touch of spray oil and then add the frozen corn that has been thawed. Cook over medium heat for about 5 mounts, until slightly charred and browned on some pieces.
• Once the tofu is done cooking, turn the heat off but keep the pan on the hot burner still. Allow the pan to slightly cool for about 30 seconds. Then add the BBQ sauce and toss to coat. If the pan is too hot the BBQ sauce will burn.
• In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, tofu, red onion, corn, green onion, cucumber, bell pepper, BBQ sauce, vegan ranch, and water. Mix well to combine. Add any additional seasonings you may like: I went with a bit of garlic powder and more of the Trader Joe’s BBQ seasoning.
• You can enjoy this right away or let it sit in the fridge until ready to eat. This will serve 4 as a main course or 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Video

Notes

• I am using Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
• I am using Daiya Ranch
• Press tofu prior to using it. You can use a tofu press or stack something heavy like a cast iron with cans in it. This allows excess water to come out of the tofu and be less mushy.
• I prefer to use spray oil for cooking but if you would rather use regular oil you can.

Keyword bbq pasta salad, bbq ranch pasta salad, meal prep ideas, pasta salad

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