Macadamia Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables
This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that earns recipe card status — colorful, deeply flavorful, and satisfying enough to work as a main or a standout side. The pesto here is built on raw walnuts instead of the macadamia nuts that sometimes sneak into specialty or restaurant-style versions, so you get that rich, nutty depth without any concern. Roasting the cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper at high heat coaxes out their natural sweetness and gives the whole salad a slightly smoky, caramelized backbone. A bright hit of lemon juice in the pesto keeps everything fresh and lifts the basil beautifully. Whole wheat rotini holds onto the sauce in all its little ridges, and the baby arugula folded in at the end adds a peppery bite that makes each forkful interesting. Kalamata olives are optional but highly recommended if you want that briny, savory punch to round things out. This is the kind of pasta salad that actually gets better as it sits, making it a perfect make-ahead option for lunches, potlucks, or weeknight dinners.
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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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