Peanut Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Peanut Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is the kind of dish that earns compliments at every potluck and picnic, loaded with charred cherry tomatoes, tender zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper tossed through whole wheat pasta. The homemade walnut pesto is the real star — bright with fresh basil, punchy with lemon, and blended smooth with good olive oil and garlic. Walnuts stand in beautifully here, delivering that rich, nutty depth you want in a pesto without any concern about peanut cross-contact that can come with store-bought versions. Because every component is made from scratch with straightforward whole ingredients, you know exactly what's going into the bowl. A handful of peppery arugula and briny Kalamata olives folded in at the end add layers of flavor that make this feel far more elevated than a simple pasta salad has any right to be. It works warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge the next day — and honestly, the leftovers might be even better.

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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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