Pork Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.9

(10)

Pork Free Pasta Salad with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant pasta salad is built around charred cherry tomatoes, tender zucchini, and sweet roasted red pepper, all tossed with a bright, walnut-based pesto that comes together in minutes in a food processor. The homemade pesto is the real star here — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon create a sauce that's herbaceous and a little nutty without any of the mystery ingredients you'd find in a jarred version. Whole wheat rotini holds onto every bit of that green, garlicky coating, and a handful of peppery baby arugula folded in at the end keeps things fresh and lively. This is exactly the kind of dish that works beautifully for anyone avoiding pork, since every single component is naturally free of it — no cured meats, no hidden pork-based stocks, nothing to second-guess. Kalamata olives add a briny, savory punch if you want to take it up a notch. It's equally good served slightly warm right after that ten-minute rest or chilled the next day when the flavors have had even more time to meld. Whether you're bringing it to a gathering or meal-prepping for the week, this one is a reliable, crowd-pleasing bowl.

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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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