Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

This easy summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables will be your new go-to for potlucks and picnics! Perfectly cooked pasta, smoky-sweet grilled veggies, juicy tomatoes, and protein-rich chickpeas all tossed in a quick Italian dressing is the perfect make-ahead bbq side dish or weeknight dinner. (nut-free, soy-free, easily gluten-free) . This post was originally published July 6,2021

Want to know what I’ve had for lunch frequently this past month? Pasta salad – the best I’ve had in a long time! I present you a super easy summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables, farfalle pasta, juicy fresh tomatoes, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and a quick homemade Italian dressing.

It satisfies all the cravings for a hearty meal with flavor, crunch, umami, grilled veggies and pasta. When in a pinch, I make variations of this pasta salad with whatever veggies I have. Change the dressing a bit with different herbs, use white beans or chickpeas, and of course play around with pasta shapes. My niece who otherwise wouldn’t touch veggies or salad, scoops up bowls of this!

One of the best things about pasta salad is that you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it. Then, when you get home after a day out and about your dinner is all ready! 

But you can also take it with you wherever you go. This grilled vegetable pasta salad is amazing for potlucks and picnics, but you don’t need to wait to be invited to a get-together to get some summer pasta salad magic in your life.

Why You’ll Love Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

• makes the most of summer veggies
• tastes delicious right away or chilled for later
• packed with veggies and flavor
• soy-free and nut-free, gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta

Ingredients and Substitutions

• pasta – I like using mini farfalle pasta or any other similar flat pasta. Other pasta shapes that work really well with this grilled vegetable pasta salad are rotini, fusilli, and penne. Even vegan tortellini, if you find some.
• fresh veggies – For crunch and freshness, you’re adding chopped tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes. I love the juicy tang the fresh tomatoes add but you don’t need to stop there. If you want, you can throw in some sliced carrots, cucumbers, or any veggies you have on hand. For variation, you can also add some greens like baby spinach or baby spring mix into the salad bowl
• grilled veggies – for smoky sweetness. Zucchini,  bell pepper, and red onion are my favorites. Fennel and summer squash will work well too
• legumes – for protein. Chickpeas – cooked or canned and rinsed and drained or use white or black beams of choice.
• fresh herbs – for flavor. We are using chopped basil for an Italian flavor profile, or you can use mint to add some freshness.
• Italian dressing – to finish the salad. We make a quick, homemade dressing using olive oil, dijon mustard, and lemon juice with some minced garlic, basil, salt and pepper.

How to make Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, garlic powder and Italian herbs. Once boiling, add the pasta, and cook according to time mentioned on package. Then drain and rinse in cold water and set aside. Don’t overcook it! 

Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes. Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices, slightly diagonally for grilling. Slice your bell peppers into 1/4 inch thick slices. Slice the onion into a half-inch wedges and either use a skewer or a toothpick to hold them together.

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well until evenly mixed.

Brush a grill pan with oil. Heat over medium high heat, place the zucchini, peppers, and onion on the grill pan. Brush the zucchini, peppers, and onion on top with oil. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

Grill over medium-high heat until you get good grill marks, then flip and cook the other side. Keep pressing the veggies occasionally. Remove toothpicks/skewers when done and set aside.

Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl — pasta, tomatoes, grilled zucchini, grilled bell peppers, grilled onions, chickpeas, basil — and toss well. Then add the dressing and toss again.

Taste and adjust flavor and serve. Optionally top with vegan Parmesan and pepper flakes. This salad is also great chilled. Make sure to store in a closed container in the fridge, so that the garlic smell doesn’t get out in the fridge . 

What to Serve with Pasta Salad

This is a great side for cookouts and BBQs, and it even works as a meal on its own! As a side dish, serve with your favorite vegan burger or grilled veggie sausages.