Toni Michael Chef
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№ 003 · Side · 60 min · serves 8

Vegetarian Pasta Salad

I volunteer with Food Not Bombs which only accepts vegetarian and vegan donations - but I was ready for the challenge of cooking outside my comfort zone... I came up with this pasta salad to feed the unhoused - had to, of course, taste test it and MAN I did good!!

— Toni · 4 September · 2026
Ingredients

Chipotle-lime vinaigrette

  • 6 tbsp lime juice (~ 4 limes worth)
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • Salt/pepper to taste

Pasta salad

  • 16 oz portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 carrot, halved
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 2 celery stalks, halved
  • 16 oz medium shells
  • 1 bell pepper, diced (optional: save the top)
  • 1 can Rotel, drained
  • 1 can sliced black olives, drained
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • 8 oz cotija cheese, crumbled

Method

  1. 01 Add vinaigrette ingredients, except the avocado oil, to a mixing bowl
  2. 02 Whisk ingredients together to incorporate
  3. 03 Slowly add avocado oil while whisking to emulsify
  4. 04 Set aside
  5. 05 Add mushrooms to a cold, dry pot (you'll be cooking the pasta in it afterward)
  6. 06 Cook over medium heat until water has released and evaporated and mushrooms are slightly browned
  7. 07 Add butter and coat mushrooms; salt as desired - make sure they taste good
  8. 08 Turn off heat and remove mushrooms
  9. 09 Add carrot, onion, and celery (plus the bell pepper top if you saved it) to the same pot
  10. 10 Add water to cover by 2 inches
  11. 11 Turn heat to high and scrape brown bits from mushrooms with a wooden spoon
  12. 12 Once simmering, reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes
  13. 13 Remove vegetables from your now vegetable stock
  14. 14 Add salt and taste the stock - it should taste good and if it doesn't, add more salt
  15. 15 Increase heat to high and bring stock to boil
  16. 16 Add pasta to stock and cook in stock based on package instructions
  17. 17 Strain pasta, do not rinse!
  18. 18 Add pasta and half of the vinaigrette to a mixing bowl
  19. 19 Toss the pasta and vinaigrette until pasta is coated
  20. 20 Add cooked mushrooms, bell pepper, Rotel, black olives, corn, black beans, and red onion and toss until combined
  21. 21 Add avocado and remaining dressing and toss until combined
  22. 22 Top with cotija cheese when serving!
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