Angel hair pasta salad with a delicious lemon vinaigrette is light and twirly, perfect for warm weather or any day of the week. It's a fresh, flavor-packed pasta salad recipe that's bright and zesty and fully ready for a picnic, BBQ, or any lunch or dinner. It's ready in less than 15 minutes.
I love a good pasta salad- and if you've peeked at my recipes like Autumn Pasta Salad, Vegan Tuna Pasta Salad, and Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad,
you already know.
They're the perfect combo of comforting and fresh, totally satisfying, and flexible enough for lunch, dinner, or a straight-from-the-fridge forkful. Room temperature or cold, pasta salad is always a favorite.
And this one is no exception. It's got that same fresh-meets-comfort vibe I love - but with a twist. The angel hair pasta makes it feel, dare I say, lighter, a little more elegant, and totally twirl-worthy. It soaks up the dressing like a dream, and gives big "I know how to make good pasta salad" vibes.
Pair it with my Vegan Chickpea Burgers for the ultimate summer plate, or serve it alongside my Vegan Greek Pasta Salad and Trader Joe's Ravioli Pasta Salad for a pasta salad power trio that gives people choices!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's the perfect side for potlucks, picnics, or meals at home - light enough to balance heavier mains but flavorful enough to stand on its own.
- Serve it warm, chilled, or somewhere in between - it's flexible like that.
- Comes together fast with simple ingredients. Perfect for last-minute lunches or picnic invites.
- No dairy, no eggs, just plant-based deliciousness in every bite.
Ingredients
- Angel hair pasta is also known as capellini.
- This recipe uses an easy lemon vinaigrette (see picture below). You can substitute any store-bought version or swap it out for Homemade Italian Vinaigrette.
- The vegan feta is optional. A delicious store-bought vegan feta is from Follow Your Heart.
See the recipe card for quantities and a complete list of ingredients.
Variations
- Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Or try it with this Easy Vegan Lemon Dill Sauce thinned out with a splash of water or plant-based milk. It's a great herby alternative to the vinaigrette.
- Toss in chickpeas, white beans, or grilled tofu to make it more of a main meal.
- Sub half the pasta with spiralized zucchini or Palmini for a lighter, veggie-forward version.
- Swap the lemon vinaigrette for your favorite vegan pesto, like this Pistachio Pesto, for a herby, cozy flavor switch.
How To Make Angel Hair Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is ready in less than 15 minutes, including prep time. See the recipe card for any extra details.
Step 1: Boil the pasta. Run it under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down.
Step 2: Combine all the chopped ingredients with the pasta. Add the vinaigrette and mix. Serve and enjoy.
Top Tips
- Angel hair cooks fast! Pay attention to it to keep it al dente so it holds up when tossed with dressing and doesn't get mushy.
- Cool it down with a quick rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Smaller veggie pieces mean you get a little of everything in every bite (and less awkward fork juggling).
- Pasta salad loses some flavor when chilled, so you might want to add a splash of dressing and lemon zest before serving leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it as a bright, refreshing side next to Pesto Roasted Vegetables, Baked Pesto Tofu, or Smoked Tofu.
- Pack it in a container, grab a fork, and enjoy straight from the cooler. Or portion it out for easy, no-heat-needed weekday lunches. Bonus: it gets even better after a day.
- Serve it alongside other favorites like my Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad or a big green salad for a beautiful buffet setup.
Recipe FAQS
Yes. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Since chilling dampens flavors in pasta salad, give it a good toss with a splash of extra dressing and some lemon zest before serving.
About 3 to 4 days.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Recipe Card
Angel Hair Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz angel hair pasta or capellini, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes; halved
- ½ English cucumber chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- ¼ red onion or shallot; finely diced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives sliced (or green olives)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 batch Easy Lemon Vinaigrette
- ½ cup vegan feta crumbled; optional
- zest of 1 lemon optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the angel hair according to the package instructions - but go al dente so it doesn't turn to mush when tossed. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down fast.
- Prep the veggies: While the pasta cools down, chop all the veggies - tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, and herbs.
- Toss it all together: In a large bowl, combine all your ingredients together. Pour in your lemon vinaigrette and toss gently to coat without breaking up those twirly noodles.
- Adjust & Serve: Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. You can also top with some lemon zest for extra zing. Sprinkle with extra vegan feta and serve.
Vger says
This pasta salad is so light and refreshing — the angel hair holds the lemon vinaigrette beautifully and every bite feels like a summer afternoon. Made it for a potluck and it was gone before anything else!
Regi Pearce says
So glad it was such a hit! Angel hair really does soak up that lemony goodness perfectly. Glad it was a winner at the potluck!
Regi Pearce says
This angel hair pasta salad is light, zesty, and honestly one of my favorite things to eat straight from the fridge.