Banana Blossom Vegan Pasta Salad

Enjoy a colourful and fresh banana blossom (mock tuna) vegan pasta salad that has been tossed in homemade vegan mayonnaise. 

This website receives a commission/fee for each purchase bought through the affiliate links on this website

Jump to:

• 😋Why you’ll love this recipe
• What is banana blossom?
• ✔️What You’ll Need
• 🥘Ingredient Notes
• 🔪Step-By-Step Guide
• ✔️Variations
• 💭Pro Tips
• FAQ
• 🥘Related recipes
• Banana Blossom Vegan Pasta Salad (Vegan Tuna Salad)

Here’s an easy recipe to keep in your repertoire, it’s perfect for when you’re stuck on what to eat.

This vegan tuna pasta salad uses banana blossom as a replacement for the tuna and combines fresh vegetable with a lovely hint of sweetness from the cocktail onions and gherkins.

😋Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy and quick to make
• Filling and affordable
• Healthy and special diet friendly
• Season friendly - can be enjoyed all year round
• Great on it’s own or can be eaten as a side

What is banana blossom?

Banana blossom also known as banana flower or banana heart, are the flower of a banana tree and are completely edible. 

These tear drop shaped blooms are a deep purple/maroon that grow at the end of a cluster of bananas. 

They have a host of health benefits and are neutral in flavour. 

Banana blossom can be purchased in fresh, frozen or canned form. 

✔️What You’ll Need

🥘Ingredient Notes

Just some quick details about some of the ingredients you’ll need;

Pasta - select your preferred penne or fusilli pasta. I use a gluten free pasta* and I always undercook, by one minute, of what the instructions advise. This helps to keep the pasta al dante.

Banana blossom - this recipe uses the canned variety, which can normally be found at your local Asian grocer. It is also now found at some supermarkets and can also be purchased online*. This will be the natural mock tuna.

Tomatoes - select fresh cherry tomatoes, I love the medley packs, which give a lot of colour to this vegan pasta salad.

Tamari sauce* - this is gluten free and is salty in nature, so be aware of this when adding salt.

Fysh sauce* - the a vegan’s answer to a fish sauce alternative. This helps to give this salad a little umami fish flavouring, helping the banana blossom taste like ‘tuna’.

Vegan Mayonnaise - use as little or as much as you like. I like to make my own, you can find this veg mayonnaise recipe here. This can also be store bought.

Nutritional Yeast* - helps to give a more umami flavour to this vegan tuna pasta salad.

🔪Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1 - Cook pasta as per instructions, set aside.

Step 2 - Chop up all ingredients that need chopping and measure out all other ingredients. Drain all canned or pickled ingredients.

Step 3 - In a large mixing bowl, mix through all the ingredients until well combined.

✔️Variations

Quantities - Adjust the amounts of the ingredients to suit your taste, i.e., if you’d like a little more of something or a little less, go for it. 

N.B., always start with less and build up.

Beans - if you’d like to add these in, adjust the quantities of the wet ingredients and the salt to suit.

Swap vegan mayonnaise for freshly mashed avocado, with or without EVOO.

Pasta - for a more fun pasta shape, try using Farfalle (bow tie), Cavatappi (hollow spirals - like mac n cheese), shell pasta, elbow pasta, Gemelli (rope twist).

Need more flavour boost? Add some garlic or onion powder. Start with a small amount and work it up.

💭Pro Tips

Pasta - should be cool when added to the other ingredients. To quickly cool pasta, rinse it under cold water and drain it before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. 

Avoid overcooking pasta, as this will result in a mushy mess. Check out my full-flavoured baked vegan pasta.

Banana blossom - once drained, these can be chopped or shredded. Easily shred with your fingers or forks.

Mixing - do not vigorously mix the pasta as it might break apart.

Make-ahead - to help save time, cook the pasta ahead of time, which can be store in the fridge for a few days and then add all other ingredients when needed.

Drainage - as this recipe calls for canned and pickled ingredients, I like to drain these using a stackable colander*, to ensure there is minimal wetness and this vegan pasta salad doesn’t end up soggy.

FAQ

🥘Related recipes

Looking for another fresh and healthy salad? Try my wonderful beetroot salad. Perfect for any lunch or dinner table.

Did you enjoy this vegan pasta salad with banana blossom What are your thoughts on the all natural mock tuna? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a rating. This will help me sustain Plant Based Folk. 

Alternatively, did you happen to take a photo or video? Tag me @plantbasedfolk on Instagram to be featured via stories. If you love sharing your vegan food pics, join the PBF community group.

If you’re into fast cooking vids, join me on Tiktok.

Janelle x