Gut Friendly Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Gut Friendly Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that makes eating well feel genuinely exciting rather than like a compromise. Whole wheat rotini brings extra fiber to the base, while a lineup of roasted cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper delivers deep, caramelized flavor alongside a solid dose of plant-based goodness. The homemade walnut-basil pesto is the real star — blended with fresh lemon juice and good olive oil, it coats every piece of pasta in something bright and herbaceous that no jarred sauce can match. Roasting the vegetables at high heat until the tomatoes burst and the edges char slightly is what takes this from simple to seriously satisfying. Baby arugula folded in at the end adds a peppery freshness that keeps the whole bowl feeling light and lively. Everything here — the whole grains, the olive oil, the fresh vegetables, the walnuts — works together in a way that supports a happy gut without sacrificing any flavor. It's equally good served slightly warm or at room temperature, making it a flexible option for meal prep or a relaxed 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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