Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

This Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables will be your new go-to for all potlucks and picnics! Perfectly cooked pasta, juicy tomatoes, smoky-sweet grilled veggies, and protein-rich chickpeas all tossed in a quick Italian dressing!  The perfect make-ahead bbq side dish or weeknight dinner. Nutfree, Soy-free easily Gluten-free.

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 farfalle pasta, juicy fresh tomatoes, grilled veggies, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and a quick homemade Italian dressing. It takes your tastebuds straight to Italy.

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 vegan Pasta Salad is amazing for potlucks and picnics but you do not need to wait to be invited to a get-together to get some summer pasta salad magic in your life.

More BBQ Sides and salads:

• South Western Pasta Salad 
• Crunchy Salad with Firecracker Chickpeas and Peanut sauce.
• Potato Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Vegan Sour Cream
• Mung Bean Sprouts, Seared Carrot Salad with Spicy Chile Lime dressing

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5 from 4 votes

Easy Summer Salad with Roasted Veggies

This Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables will be your new go-to for all potlucks and picnics! Perfectly cooked pasta, juicy tomatoes, smoky-sweet grilled veggies, and protein-rich chickpeas all tossed in a quick Italian dressing!  The perfect make-ahead bbq side dish or weeknight dinner. Nutfree, Soy-free easily made Gluten-free

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled vegetable pasta salad, vegan pasta salad

Servings: 4

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (230 g) mini farfalle pasta or any other similar flat pasta
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 of a red onion
• 15 ounce (425 g) can of chickpeas or 1 1/4 cup of cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup chopped basil or use mint

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons water as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to instructions then rinse in cold water and set aside. Don't overcook it!
• Chop the tomatoes. Slice the zucchini slightly diagonally for grilling. Slice your bell peppers into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Slice the onion into a half-inch wedge and either use a skewer or a toothpick to hold them together.
• Then brush a grill pan with oil and 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 of both sides then set aside. Keep pressing the veggies occasionally. Remove toothpicks/skewers when done 
• To make the dressing, combine everything in a bowl and mix well until evenly mixed.
• 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 well. Taste and adjust flavor and serve immediately.

Notes

 

Tips

• For variation, you can also add some greens like baby spinach or baby spring mix into the salad bowl.
• Other pasta shapes that work really well with pasta salad are rotini, fusilli and penne. Even vegan tortellini, if you find some.
• Use gluten-free pasta to make this a gluten-free pasta salad.
• 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.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Easy Summer Salad with Roasted Veggies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 369 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 614mg27%

Potassium 589mg17%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 1231IU25%

Vitamin C 60mg73%

Calcium 73mg7%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ingredients for making summer pasta salad:

• pasta: I like using mini farfalle pasta or any other similar flat pasta
• fresh veggies for crunch and freshness: chopped tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes
• grilled veggies for smoky sweetness: zucchini,  bell pepper, and red onion are my favorites
• legumes for protein: chickpeas – cooked or canned and rinsed and drained or use white or black beams of choice
• fresh herbs for that Italian touch: chopped basil or use mint
• homemade Italian dressing: olive oil, dijon mustard, and lemon juice with some minced garlic, basil, salt and pepper

Tips & Substitutions:

• For variation, you can also add some greens like baby spinach or baby spring mix into the salad bowl
• Other pasta shapes that work really well with pasta salad are rotini, fusilli and penne. Even vegan tortellini, if you find some.
• Use gluten-free pasta to make this a gluten-free pasta salad
• 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
• Don’t overcook your pasta: This will make a mushy pasta salad as the acids from the Italian dressing will break down the starches even further! Al dente is the way to go

How to make this Summer Pasta Salad

Prep: Cook the pasta according to instructions then rinse in cold water and set aside. Chop the tomatoes. Slice the zucchini slightly diagonally for grilling. Slice your bell peppers into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Slice the onion into a half-inch wedge and either use a skewer or a toothpick to hold them together. Then brush a grill pan with oil and 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 on both sides then set aside. Keep pressing the veggies occasionally. Remove toothpicks/skewers when done

To make the dressing, combine everything in a bowl and mix well until evenly mixed.

Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl. The pasta, tomatoes, grilled zucchini, grilled bell peppers, grilled onions, chickpeas , basil and toss well.

Then add the dressing and toss well. Taste and adjust flavor and serve immediately.

For variation, you can also add in some greens like baby spinach or baby spring mix into the salad bowl.

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