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

Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Roasted Veggies

5 from 4 votes

By: Vegan Richa

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course, Side

Cuisine: American

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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)

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Ingredients 

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1x2x3x

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

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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 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

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!

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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