Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies
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)
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 8 ounces mini farfalle pasta or any other similar flat pasta Use gluten-free, if needed.
For the salad
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 of a red onion
- 15 ounce can of chickpeas or 1 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 cup chopped basil or use mint
- neutral high heat oil as needed
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons water as needed
- For garnish: chopped fresh basil, vegan Parmesan, pepper flakes
Instructions
Cook the pasta.
- 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 grill the vegetables.
- 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.
- Brush a grill pan with oil and 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.
Make the dressing.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well until evenly mixed.
Assemble the pasta salad.
- 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 .
Video
Notes
This recipe is naturally soy-free and nut-free, as long as you use soy- and/or nut-free vegan Parmesan or omit the vegan Parmesan. It's gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta.
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 grilled vegetable pasta salad are rotini, fusilli, and penne. Even vegan tortellini, if you find some.
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
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1231IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg