Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad (Use Any Veggies!)

This Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad with balsamic vinaigrette is effortless to make, bursting with flavor. and something but unexciting!

287 Energy34g CARBS14g Body fat9g PROTEIN

On the lookout for a new favored pasta salad? This straightforward pasta salad with grilled veggies, feta cheese, refreshing herbs, and balsamic dressing is it! 

When it will come to warm temperature facet dishes, pasta salad is one of the most well-known. It can be good for picnics and barbecues but also can provide as a tasty no-cook dinner meal. Pasta salad meal prep anybody?

These days, I have been switching factors up and making use of grilled vegetables in my pasta salad and it was much too fantastic not to share. It begun with some leftover grilled veggies extra to my favorite Greek Pasta Salad. Then I could not cease experimenting. 

The conclusion end result? This dreamy veggie pasta salad with grilled zucchini, crimson onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and asparagus. All all those tasty veggies are marinated in a speedy home made dressing and then tossed with cooked pasta, feta cheese, and new herbs. Yum. 

Searching for much more pasta salad inspiration? Don’t skip this Vegetable Pasta Salad and Ranch BLT Pasta Salad.

Grilled vegetables and penne paste salad served on two plates with asparagus, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini.

Why You can expect to Enjoy This Pasta Salad

Trust me when I say that this pasta salad will immediately become a single of your all-time favorites. It is just so superior!

  • So a lot flavor: The trick to making a standout pasta salad is marinating the grilled veggies. The vegetables soak up all the delicious flavor of the marinade and assure that every chunk is bursting with taste. No a lot more flavorless or uninteresting pasta salad.
  • Terrific for food prep: This pasta salad keeps perfectly in the fridge for 4-5 days. In actuality, the grilled greens get even greater after a night in the fridge. Make this for food prep lunches or a fast weeknight side dish.
  • Adaptable: Change up the veggies, adjust up the dressing, add beans, try unique cheeses, incorporate protein, or serve it with greens! There are so numerous means to make and serve this quick grilled veggie pasta salad.
  • Use up leftover veggies: This salad is a excellent way to use up any excess make. Almost any veggie can be cooked on the grill, producing this salad do the job no make any difference what you have in the fridge. 

Ingredients

Below is everything you require to make this grilled vegetable pasta salad recipe. 

  • Pasta: Any pasta can be applied for this pasta salad, but seem for pasta with some ridges to stick to the dressing. Make absolutely sure to cook dinner it in salted h2o and promptly rinse the cooked pasta with chilly drinking water to prevent sticking. 
  • Grilled veggies: Use any combination of grilled veggies you like in this salad. Make absolutely sure to cook dinner them “al dente” so they even now have some bite and texture. No a person wants soggy veggies. My preferred vegetables for this salad are zucchini, mushrooms, purple onion, asparagus, and bell peppers. I also like eggplant, carrots, cabbage, corn, yellow squash, and cherry tomatoes. 
  • Balsamic dressing: Handmade dressing is so simple to make and preferences so considerably much better than the bottled selection. This a person has olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Feel absolutely free to swap in pink wine vinegar, increase some clean garlic, and switch up the herbs, 
  • Feta cheese: Consider this salad with any form of cheese you like. Favorites involve feta cheese, goat cheese, contemporary mozzarella, Parmesan, blue cheese, or sharp cheddar cheese.
  • New herbs: Including contemporary herbs to pasta salad is a way to truly elevate the flavors. New basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, oregano, or dill are all delicious.

Most effective Way to Make Grilled Vegetables

Earning grilled veggies is just one of the finest means to prepare veggies in my opinion. The slight char from the grill, the caramelized edges – they are just so good. Listed here are some tips for building seriously tasty greens on the grill.

  • Slice the greens into bigger planks and pieces so they don’t fall through the grates. Then lower them into chunk-sized items immediately after cooking. For scaled-down veggies, take into account putting them on a skewer or utilizing a grill basket. 
  • Normally start with a clean grill to be certain the greens you should not adhere and slide aside. Oil the grates if your grill tends to adhere.
  • Marinate the greens after they occur off the grill, not prior to. This is the finest way to get tremendous flavorful veggies! The veggies soak up so considerably a lot more taste immediately after staying grilled. 
  • For effortless prep, decide on veggies that prepare dinner in the exact amount of time.

Pasta salad with grilled asparagus, zucchini, red onion, and mushrooms on a plate with feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Recipe Recommendations and Tips

There are so quite a few approaches to change up this salad and make it your individual. In this article are some strategies to take into consideration:

  • Insert protein: Incorporate grilled rooster, shrimp, canned tuna, salmon, chickpeas, tofu, or white beans.
  • Change up the veggies: Try out this with all different roasted, grilled, and cooked veggies. Mix in some grilled greens and some uncooked veggies for distinct textures.
  • Include crunch: Insert some sliced almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds ideal right before serving.
  • Improve the pasta: Test this with a compact pasta like orzo or mini shells. It is really also fantastic with rotini, fusilli, or radiatori.
  • Attempt diverse cheese: Shifting up the cheese can have a big influence on the flavor. Attempt this with marinated new mozzarella, crumbled goat cheese, shredded parmesan, or cubes of pepper jack. 
  • Consider a new dressing: Despite the fact that I really like balsamic dressing, this is also scrumptious with pesto, spicy blackened ranch dressing, or honey mustard.

Making this with Roasted Veggies

When it just isn’t grilling period, look at making this pasta salad with roasted vegetables. Prepare the greens in the exact way, tossing them with the dressing/marinade right after they have been roasted.

This is also wonderful for working with up any leftover roasted greens you have on hand. 

Regularly Questioned Questions

Here are the responses to the most common queries about building this pasta salad recipe.

There are a handful of factors that pasta salad can transform out bland. 

  • Make confident to cook the pasta in salted h2o. This action is typically forgotten and makes a massive variance in how the pasta tastes soon after cooking.
  • Decide on a pasta shape with ridges. The dressing adds flavor to the pasta salad and when you use clean pasta designs it can slip suitable off. This is in particular legitimate with pasta salads working with vinaigrette versus creamy dressing.
  • Make confident to add layers of taste and period all the things heading into the pasta salad. The veggies really should be seasoned, the pasta ought to be seasoned, the dressing really should be flavorful. 

Typically speaking pasta need to be cooked al dente for pasta salad so it does not get comfortable and mushy. With that mentioned, make guaranteed the pasta isn’t as well undercooked or it will get tough as it cools. 

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