Barley Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Barley Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that earns recipe card status — colorful, deeply flavorful, and satisfying enough to work as a main or a showstopping side. Blistered cherry tomatoes, charred zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper bring a smoky depth that store-bought pasta salads simply can't touch. The real star is the homemade walnut-basil pesto, blended with fresh lemon juice and garlic for a bright, herbaceous sauce that clings beautifully to every twist of whole wheat rotini. Peppery baby arugula and briny Kalamata olives fold in at the end, adding freshness and a little punch without any fuss. Every ingredient here is naturally free of barley and barley derivatives — no malt, no barley flour, no hidden grain fillers — so you can dig in without second-guessing the label on a store-bought dressing or seasoning packet. A short rest before serving lets everything meld together, which means it actually gets better as it sits and travels well to potlucks or meal prep containers. It's the kind of recipe you'll come back to all summer long.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pasta

8 oz whole wheat rotini or penne
1 tsp salt

For the roasted vegetables

1 pint (10 oz) cherry tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch half-moons
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
⅓ cup raw walnuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the salad

2 cups baby arugula
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved (optional)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat, spreading the vegetables in a single layer.
2
Roast the vegetables for 20–22 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and the zucchini and pepper are tender with lightly charred edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

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