Perfect for lunch or dinner and fantastic for meal prep, this high protein pasta salad is a must make. With wholesome ingredients like spinach, asparagus, and your protein of choice, this salad is nutritious and very flavourful.
It’s finished with an easy homemade pesto, which not only adds to the nutrition of the salad but brings an amazing flavour too. Made with pine nuts, lemon juice and lots of fresh basil, it really does taste amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Protein Pasta Salad
- High protein – about 28g of protein per serving.
- Perfect for to prep ahead – stores well in the fridge for easy lunches.
- Customisable – use any seasonal veggies and your protein of choice.
- Flexible – if you don’t want to make the pesto – use a ready-made option.
- Pasta pesto – who doesn’t love a pasta pesto salad??
It’s the 22nd recipe in my series of Fifty Fantastic Salads. If you want to see the other recipes, you can find some of them linked at the bottom of the page.
Choosing the Right Pasta for Protein
While traditional wheat pasta is absolutely fine to use in the salad, if you’re looking to up the protein content even further, try using a higher-protein alternative. There are plenty of brilliant options on the market these days, such as:
- Chickpea pasta
- Red lentil pasta
- Edamame or pea-based pasta
- Wholewheat or spelt pasta (slightly higher in protein than white pasta)
These not only add extra plant-based protein to the dish, but also offer more fibre and minerals, helping to keep you fuller for longer. Just remember to cook them according to the packet instructions, as timings can vary.
What ingredients do you need for a Protein Pasta Salad?
- Chickpea pasta (or pasta of choice)
- Asparagus
- Protein of choice (I used smoked tofu)
- Spinach
Pesto ingredients:
- Toasted pine nuts
- Basil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Nutritional yeast
- Sea salt & black pepper
What are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients?
Pasta
As stated above, depending on which pasta you use, there are some great nutritional benefits. Ones like chickpea, not only add a bit more protein, but also more fibre and minerals.
Asparagus
A fantastic source of folate, vitamin K, and antioxidants, asparagus also adds texture to the salad. Feel free to sub with your veggie of choice.
Tofu
Rich in complete protein and containing all nine essential amino acids, tofu is my go-to plant-based protein source. I’ve used the smoked one for this salad. As stated earlier, use whichever protein you would prefer.
Spinach
A great source of iron, magnesium, and vitamins A and C, spinach is a great way to sneak in some greens without overwhelming the flavour.
Pine nuts
Great to use in pesto, pine nuts are a good source of healthy fats, magnesium and zinc.
Basil
Basil is extremely high in vitamin K, which plays a crucial role in blood clotting and bone health. It’s also a good source of magnesium and folate. It adds an amazing flavour to the pesto.
Nutritional yeast
This is a great option to add instead of parmesan, if you are dairy free. It has a cheese-like flavour and is packed with B vitamins too.
Storage and Shelf Life
This Protein Pasta Salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- For best results, store it in an airtight container.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing.
Recipe Tips
Don’t overcook your pasta
Cook your pasta until al dente – slightly firm to the bite. This stops it from going mushy once it cools and soaks up the pesto.
Cool the pasta slightly before mixing
Give the pasta a quick rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from wilting the spinach too quickly when mixing.
Double the pesto
This pesto is delicious and versatile. Consider making double. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to a week and tastes amazing stirred into soups or drizzled over roasted veggies.
Season to taste
Once everything is mixed, have a final taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Pasta and tofu can soak up flavours, so a little extra seasoning might be needed.
Swaps
Swap tofu for tempeh, roasted chickpeas or your protein of choice. Use kale, rocket, or watercress instead of spinach. Add extra veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper or olives.
Here are some other fantastic salad recipes:
Protein Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 3 cups chickpea or red lentil pasta (300g)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Large bunch of asparagus
- 1 cup protein of choice I used smoked tofu (about 250g)
- 2 cups spinach (60g)
Pesto ingredients:
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (70g)
- Large bunch of basil (about 30g)
- Juice of a lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and bring back to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until cooked. Depending on the type of pasta you use, the cooking times may vary. Follow packet instructions. Once cooked, drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.
- Add 2 tsp of olive oil to a frying or griddle pan. Add the asparagus and cook for 4-5 minutes until charred. Remove from the heat and chop into chunks.
- To make the green pesto sauce, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. I use half oil, half water but adjust to your own preference.
- Chop the smoked tofu (or protein of choice) into chunks and chop the spinach into bite sized strips.
- Add the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the asparagus, tofu and spinach and pour over the pesto. Mix well, season to taste and serve.
Notes
- This will store in the fridge for about 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing.
- The nutritional information is based on the recipe serving 5 but depending on portion sizes this could stretch to 6. It is also based upon the protein I used and the specific pasta choice.
- I used smoked tofu as a protein source but use any protein you would like.
- I used chickpea pasta but again, use any pasta for this salad.
how much salt does this recipe contain?
Very little as per the ingredients – just any you use to season it.