Carrageenan Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Carrageenan Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that earns a permanent spot in your warm-weather rotation — colorful, satisfying, and packed with bold Mediterranean flavor. Roasting the cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper at high heat coaxes out their natural sweetness and gives the edges a gorgeous char that no raw vegetable can match. The homemade walnut-basil pesto is the real star here, blending fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil into a bright, herbaceous sauce that clings beautifully to every piece of whole wheat rotini. Because everything is made from scratch with whole, recognizable ingredients, you sidestep the processed additives and thickeners that sneak into so many store-bought dressings and sauces. Peppery baby arugula folded in at the end adds a fresh contrast to the warm roasted vegetables, and a handful of Kalamata olives brings a briny punch if you want it. It works equally well served slightly warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge the next day — making it a genuinely flexible option for meal prep, potlucks, or a casual weeknight dinner.

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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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