Authentic German Pasta Salad (Vegan)
This classic German pasta salad is creamy, tangy, and packed with peas, corn, pickles, and smoky tofu. A crowd-pleaser for BBQs, picnics, and potlucks—plus, it gets even better the next day!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Salad
- 500 g fusilli pasta (whole wheat works great, too)
- 450 g frozen peas
- 400 g smoked tofu
- 290 g pickled cucumbers (drained weight)
Don't toss the pickle juice, we’ll need it for the dressing!
- 460 g canned corn (drained weight)
Dressing
- 250 g vegan mayonnaise* (store-bought or homemade - see my easy recipe here)
- 200 g plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt
- 3-6 tablespoons pickle juice from the jar above
- 2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic, pressed (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Thaw the peas (you can use them raw—no need to cook).
- Finely dice the pickled cucumbers and the tofu. If you have one, use a vegetable chopper to speed things up.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, peas, corn, smoked tofu, and pickles. Pour the dressing over and toss well until everything is nicely coated.
- Taste and adjust—add more pickle juice, salt, or a spoonful of mayo if needed.
- Let it chill! This salad gets even better on day two or three as the flavors meld.
Notes
*Use up to 400g / 14 oz if you like it extra creamy