Low Iodine Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables
This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that makes eating feel like a celebration rather than a restriction. Caramelized cherry tomatoes, tender zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper bring deep, satisfying flavor, while a bright walnut-basil pesto ties everything together with a lemony, herby punch. One of the trickier parts of following a low-iodine eating plan is navigating store-bought sauces and dressings, which often contain iodized salt or dairy — but this pesto is made entirely from scratch with fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, so you stay firmly in safe territory. The pasta itself is cooked simply with non-iodized salt, and every other component is a whole, unprocessed ingredient you can feel confident about. Baby arugula folded in at the end adds a peppery freshness that keeps the whole bowl lively rather than heavy. It works beautifully served slightly warm right after tossing, or chilled the next day when the pesto has had time to soak into every curve of the rotini.
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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)
Can be omittedkalamata olives
- 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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