Coconut Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Coconut Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that earns recipe-card status after the very first bite. Caramelized cherry tomatoes, tender zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper bring deep, smoky flavor, while a bright walnut-basil pesto ties everything together with a hit of lemon and fresh garlic. The pesto is blended right in a food processor using whole, straightforward ingredients — basil, walnuts, olive oil, and lemon juice — so there's no guesswork about what's actually in it. Peppery baby arugula and briny Kalamata olives fold in at the end, adding layers of texture that make every forkful interesting. Many store-bought pestos and pasta salad dressings sneak in unexpected oils or additives, but this one is entirely homemade and built from ingredients you can see and trust. It works beautifully served slightly warm right after assembly or chilled the next day when the flavors have had time to deepen. Whether you're bringing it to a potluck or meal-prepping for the week, this is a crowd-pleaser that never feels like a compromise.

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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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