This vibrant pasta salad is everything a warm-weather meal should be — colorful, deeply flavorful, and satisfying without feeling heavy. The real star is the homemade walnut-basil pesto, which comes together in a food processor with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil for a bright, herbaceous sauce that clings beautifully to every piece of rotini. Roasting the cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper at high heat coaxes out their natural sweetness and adds those irresistible lightly charred edges that make the whole dish feel a little more special. Baby arugula folded in at the end adds a peppery freshness, and a handful of Kalamata olives brings a briny punch if you're into it. For anyone navigating legume-free eating, this one is genuinely easy — there are no beans, lentils, or pea-based proteins hiding anywhere in the ingredient list, just whole vegetables, whole wheat pasta, nuts, and herbs. It works equally well served slightly warm right after assembly or chilled the next day when the flavors have had even more time to meld together.
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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.
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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