A Perfect Pasta Salad does exist and this Vegetable Pesto Pasta Salad is it! You’ll love how this pasta salad without mayonnaise comes together in just 30 minutes, is loaded with delicious veggies AND how incredible it tastes. This will easily become your go-to for all the picnics, potlucks, summer BBQs…and it will be your favorite quick weeknight healthy dinner too.
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Meet your new bestie…I mean, my new bestie…oh, let’s all be friends. OK? This super simple veggie pasta salad recipe is a people pleaser that everyone adores…it’s not your same ol’ boring traditional pasta salad either…I’ve skipped the mayo and added in so much goodness…in taste, texture, color and nutrition…there’s a reason we’re besties…know what I mean?
Loaded with roasted vegetables and a delicious dairy-free basil pesto.…a dreamy combo that is delicious and satisfying. It’s perfect for any and every occasion too. This healthy pasta salad recipe will make its way to every get together with rave reviews.
Why you will love it
- So pretty. Yea, we eat with our eyes first, so presentation matters! Colorful roasted veggies steal the show!
- EASY…comes together in just 30 minutes.
- SUPER tasty….a winning combo of pesto and pasta….what’s not to like?
- Meal Prep Friendly…make all or parts in advance. Cold pesto pasta salad is delish!
- Versatile….use roasted veggies, grilled veggies, leftover veggies…in any combinations. Swap out veggies for whatever is in season.
- Healthy pasta salad is where it’s at….notice the ratio of veggies to pasta? This recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients too.
- OMG….what a satisfying lunch! Easy to pack and take with you too.
- Dairy-free. YES…you can make a really tasty pesto without cheese. But…this is YOUR pasta salad, so if you want to add parmesan instead of nutritional yeast, go for it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- PASTA: I used Thrive Market gluten-free chickpea pasta. I also love Jovial brand if I’m making gluten-free pasta. Any brand, any kind of pasta will work for this recipe. You do you….spoiler alert: you can substitute any grain here too (orzo, faro, couscous, millet…) and then technically it wouldn’t be “pasta” salad but it will still be delish!
- VEGGIES: Use what’s in season, or what you have on hand. I used bell peppers, purple onion and zucchini. A tasty, colorful assortment. Eggplant would be good in this too. If you prefer cauliflower and broccoli, that works….fennel and carrots…great. The more veggies, the better in my opinion. Use YOUR faves. When tomatoes are in season, I often make this Summer Pasta Salad...and I’ve used that combo (peas, tomatoes, chickpeas, onions, spinach)with this pesto pasta too.
- PESTO: I’ve included a recipe here for basic dairy-free basil pesto. Some other pesto recipes that will work well include: carrot top pesto, arugula and walnut pesto, or kale and cashew pesto. A combination of greens/herbs, nuts/seeds, garlic and lemon is all you need.
- NUTS: I’m having a moment with marcona almonds…they’re so crunchy and tasty…so I used them to top this pasta salad, but you could substitute any nut (toast them for added crunch) or use seeds for a nut allergy. I’ve made this with sunflower seeds and also pepitas.
- OLIVE OIL: For drizzling on the veggies before roasting. You could omit the oil if you’re oil-free.
- SPICES: I used a blend of dried italian herbs plus some sea salt and white pepper. Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper if you like a bit of heat.
How to make veggie pasta salad
This easy recipe comes together in just 30 minutes with a few simple steps!
Preheat oven to 425 and line baking tray with parchment paper for quick and easy clean up.
Cut all veggies into bite sized pieces and place on prepared baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to make the pesto and the pasta.
I use my food processor, to make the pesto but you could also make it in a blender. I used a combination of olive oil and water drizzled into the machine while it was running.
You could use all water or veggie broth for a tasty oil-free pesto.
Pro Tip on making gluten-free pasta
Cook your pasta according to the package directions. I find with gluten-free pasta, it’s best to check it 1-2 minutes earlier than the time indicates. Also, I do add the pinch of salt to the water recommended. It makes it boil at a higher temperature which is ideal for a perfectly cooked pasta.
Whisk together ½ cup pasta water with ½ cup pesto. You may need a bit more (or less) water, depending on how thick your pesto is. So, start with ¼ cup water and add more 1 Tablespoon at a time until you get a pourable sauce.
You’ll need some pasta water to thin out your pesto and turn it into a pasta sauce….so don’t drain the pan before scooping out a cup of water. I use a pyrex measuring cup and just dunk it into the pot.
Now, with everything prepped, you’re ready to assemble.
First, add the pesto (that’s been mixed with the pasta cooking water) to a bowl of cooked pasta.
Mix until the sauce is very well distributed and all the pasta has been coated.
Add in the roasted veggies and any nuts or seeds you desire.
Mix well. Mix well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as desired, maybe a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and some chopped fresh herbs to top it off.
Bam…done! And it’s been less than 30 minutes. Enjoy hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Make the pesto in advance. You’ll only need ½ cup for this pasta salad. Use the rest to top some zucchini pizza bites.
- Short on time? Buy already made pesto. Buy pre-cut vegetables in the produce section of your grocery store.
- Looking for more heat? Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper.
- If you have any fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme) sprinkle some on top!
- Too hot to turn on the oven? Grill your veggies…or use up leftover veggie sides from another recipe.
- Make a double batch of roasted broccoli another night and use that in this recipe. Truly delish.
- No basil to make pesto? No problem….you can make arugula pesto, carrot top pesto or kale pesto instead…with perfect results.
- Don’t forget to scoop up some pasta water to thin out the pesto….but if you do forget (yup, has happened to me too!), whisk in some veggie broth to the pesto to make the pasta salad sauce.
FAQs
It can be. Pesto pasta salad is often served cold, but it tastes great warm or at room temperature too. Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Veggies will stay good in the fridge for 5 days and you can enjoy it straight from the refrigerator.
Pasta Salad can be healthy! Adding vegetables to your pasta salad means it will be more nutrient dense. Using a sauce for your pasta that doesn’t have mayo is another great choice. Avoiding processed ingredients and making your pasta salad from scratch is easier than you think and it means you control the ingredients….and you can choose healthy, wholesome, simple ingredients.
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📖 Recipe
Pesto Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz. package pasta*
- ½ cup pasta cooking water
- ½ cup pesto*
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 purple onion
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon italian spices
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup marcona almonds*
Basic Dairy-free Basil Pesto (makes 1 cup)
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil*
- 2-4 Tablespoons water*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Line large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Chop Veggies into bite sized pieces and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Roast veggies for 15 minutes.
- Make pesto: Combine all ingredients buts water and olive oil in bowl of food processor and process until well chopped. You will need about ½ cup liquid between the olive oil and water for this recipe….use the ratios you prefer (all water—or veggie broth—is OK if you’re oil free). With the processor running, slowly pour in the liquid. Stop to scrape the sides down a couple time and continue to process until smooth and creamy. Set pesto aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. My experience with gluten-free pasta has been to cut down on the cooking time by 1 minute. I boiled the chickpea pasta for 8 minutes and it was perfect.
- Save ½ cup pasta water and then drain. Rinse under cool water.
- Whisk ½ cup pesto into the saved pasta water to make the pasta salad sauce.
- Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Pour on the pesto sauce and mix well. Add the roasted veggies and toss well. Taste for seasoning, adding more S+P as desired and then mix again. Sprinkle on the nuts and serve. Sprinkle on some fresh herbs, nutritional yeast or crushed red pepper if desired.
- Pesto Pasta Salad can be served warm, cold or at room temperature.
- Pasta Salad will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
anna
We made this salad last night and it was such a success! Definitely will be making it again!
Alice
Such an easy recipe, loved it!
AISilva
Looks so great, can’t wait to try it!
Liz
Absolutely everything I could want in a pasta salad!
Angela
The pesto really adds a delicious flavor to this pasta salad. I will be making it this way from now on. My family loved it!
Jessica Formicola
This pasta salad is so perfect for summer! So many fresh ingredients and flavors- it’s perfection!
Debra Klein
Totally agree! Thanks for trying.
Emily Flint
This pasta salad has all of my favorites, it’s like you read my mind!!
Oscar
I loved pesto on anything. This was great, loved this pasta salad.
Toni
This was SO good!! Quickly became a favorite meal at my house!
Debra Klein
Yay….so glad you guys enjoyed it.