Farmers Market Pasta Salad
Farmers Market Pasta Salad is summer in a bowl—bright, colorful, and bursting with fresh flavor. It combines tender cavatappi pasta with crisp seasonal vegetables, creamy tofu feta, and fragrant herbs, all tied together with a tangy red wine vinaigrette. Perfect for picnics, parties, or meal prep, this plant-based dish delivers a hearty bite while staying refreshingly light.
Before You Get Started
For the best flavor, prepare the tofu feta the day before so it can marinate overnight. Chill your pasta before assembling to keep the vinaigrette from soaking in too quickly. If making ahead, keep the feta and salad separate until just before serving for the freshest texture.
What You Need To Make Farmers Market Pasta Salad
You’ll find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card, but here’s what you’ll need:
- Extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, lemon, agave, sea salt, pepper (for vinaigrette)
- Firm tofu, nutritional yeast, oregano, garlic powder (for tofu feta)
- Cavatappi pasta
- Chickpeas
- English cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Corn kernels
- Red onion
- Fresh basil, mint, and parsley
- Lemon zest
How To Make Farmers Market Pasta Salad
- Make the vinaigrette by blending olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, agave, salt, and pepper until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
- Prepare the tofu feta by tossing tofu cubes with olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Marinate overnight.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked cavatappi, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, red onion, basil, mint, parsley, and lemon zest.
- Add tofu feta and vinaigrette, tossing gently to combine.
- Chill overnight to let flavors meld. Serve cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes—just keep the tofu feta separate and mix in right before serving for the best texture.
Can I use regular feta instead of tofu feta?
Absolutely, if you’re not making it vegan, traditional feta works great.
How long does this last in the fridge?
It stays fresh for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
Farmers Market Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons agave
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Tofu Feta (Farmers Market Pasta Salad)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the salad:
- 1 lb 16 oz cavatapi pasta, cooked and chilled or room temperature
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 English cucumber halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 large zucchini ¼ dice
- 2 ½ cups or 16 ounces corn kernels
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh curly parsley
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 batch Tofu feta
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette:
- Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Tofu Feta:
- Add everything to a large bowl and toss to combine until all of the tofu is coated. Transfer to a container and marinate overnight.
For Salad:
- Mix together and let chill overnight to marinate flavors. If feta was made late, let feta and salad sit separately overnight and mix fresh before packing.