Vegan Fall Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Sweet potatoes, and Cranberries

Taking a forkful of fall pasta salad from the bowl.

Vegan Fall Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Sweet potatoes, and Cranberries

Course: dinner, Main Course, Salad, Salad Dressing

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Keyword: fall pasta salad, vegan fall salad

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

cooling time in the refrigerator: 30

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 532kcal

Author: Cindy Rainey

Welcome to a taste of autumn in every bite with our Fall Pasta Salad. Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts offer a comforting warmth, while cranberries and walnuts add a burst of seasonal sweetness and crunch. Vegan feta cheese elevates each forkful, all coated in a luscious homemade poppy seed dressing, making this salad a symphony of fall flavors and colors.

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Ingredients

For the Pasta Salad

3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup Brussels sprouts halved or quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
14 ounces multi-colored pasta see notes for suggestions
½ cup walnuts chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
4 ounces vegan feta cheese see notes for suggestions
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Poppy Seed Dressing

1/4 cup vegan mayo
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons agave
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into small bite-sized cubes. Wash and cut the Brussels sprouts in half, removing any wilted outer leaves.
3 medium sweet potatoes, 1 cup Brussels sprouts
Place the sweet potato pieces and Brussels sprouts on a large baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir until well covered. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While the potatoes and Brussels sprouts are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, and rinse with cold water. Add it to a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
- While pasta is cooling, add the poppy seed dressing ingredients to a small bowl: Add the vegan mayo, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and onion powder. Mix until well blended.
1/4 cup vegan mayo, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 Tablespoons agave, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- To the bowl of pasta, add the roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Toss with the poppy seed dressing until evenly coated. Crumble in the vegan feta cheese and gently stir again until combined.
3 medium sweet potatoes, 1 cup Brussels sprouts, 14 ounces multi-colored pasta, ½ cup walnuts, 1 cup dried cranberries, 4 ounces vegan feta cheese
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving, adding more dressing if needed.

Notes

You can find lots of fun fall pasta shapes with a quick search on Amazon! I love these cute little pumpkin-shaped pasta pieces. You could also use multi-colored corkscrew pasta shapes you can find in any grocery store.

Nutrition