Honey Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables
This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that makes you want to eat with your eyes first — blistered cherry tomatoes, charred zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper all tumbled together with hearty whole wheat pasta and a bright, herby pesto. The homemade walnut-basil pesto is the real star here, blending fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice into something deeply savory and completely free of any sweeteners. That matters more than you might think, since plenty of store-bought pestos and jarred dressings sneak in unexpected ingredients that don't belong on a strictly sweetener-free plate. Every component in this recipe is straightforward and plant-based, so you can toss it together with total confidence. Peppery baby arugula and briny Kalamata olives round out the flavors, adding layers that make this feel like a restaurant-quality bowl rather than a simple side. It works beautifully served slightly warm right after that 10-minute rest, or chilled the next day when the pesto has had time to soak into every ridge of the pasta.
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Learn more →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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