Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
if you're looking for a go-to pasta salad recipe that has all the veggies, is perfect for summer picnics, and is perfectly portable, then this fresh pasta salad is a great option to enjoy all summer long! This pasta salad is even better the next day. Tip: cook the pasta 1-2 minutes past al dente since the pasta will stop cooking as soon as you drain and rinse it.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta) or rotini
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 medium yellow squash, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 4 medium portabella mushrooms, wiped clean
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- ½ canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Toss the zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and portabella mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Grill the vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let cool.
- Cut the grilled zucchini, squash, bell pepper, onion and mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the grilled vegetables to the same mixing bowl as the pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, salt, minced garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine.
- Add the crumbled feta cheese. Gently toss again to combine.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Cook's note: Using olive oil in cold salads can be problematic because the oil hardens when chilled, resulting in a lumpy, grainy dressing. Opt for vegetable oil or another neutral oil in this recipe to prevent hardening in the fridge.