Get ready to elevate your pasta salad game with this absolutely delectable Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad recipe! It’s a fresh take on a summer classic that’s bursting with vibrant flavors and textures from a colorful array of roasted veggies that are tender and caramelized to perfectly cooked orzo pasta. Then the real magic happens when we dress it all up in a zesty citrus olive oil dressing, infusing every mouthful with bright, tangy goodness — no one will be able to resist this goodness!
Table of Contents
- Why This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Will Rock Your World
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flavor Variations
- How to Prepare This Pasta Salad with Veggies
- Tips for Success
- Is It Okay to Make Pasta Salad the Night Before?
- How Long Does It Last?
- Can You Freeze This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad?
- Serving Suggestions
- Common Questions About This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Recipe
- More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
- Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Recipe Recipe
Why This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Will Rock Your World
Who said pasta salad was just for summer? Cooler weather might be rolling in, but we aren’t giving up this classic side dish!
Instead, we spruced it up with seasonal veggies and a zesty, savory dressing for a pasta salad that’s still vibrant and refreshing yet hearty and filling. Plus, this pasta salad with veggies:
- Is made with just ten simple ingredients.
- Comes together with minimal prep time and a quick cooking time.
- Is full of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber.
- Works wonderfully as a side dish and can easily be bulked up to become a complete meal!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Like most pasta salad recipes, this dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients. Here’s everything you need:
- Lemon Juice – This is included in the dressing to help cut some of the heaviness of the fats and create a vibrant, well-rounded flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but bottled varieties can also be used.
- Olive Oil – Used in the dressing and to coat the veggies, olive oil adds a robust taste along with a boost of healthy fats.
- Salt and Black Pepper – Adjust to taste.
- Veggies – Zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and garlic add lots of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and flavor to this veggie pasta salad making it beautiful and filling.
- Orzo Pasta – This tiny, rice-shaped pasta is used in place of the larger pasta noodles you typically find in pasta salad recipes.
Flavor Variations
Feel free to mix and match any ingredients you have on hand to make this roasted veggie pasta salad your own! For example, some tasty variations include:
- Using Different Veggies. Swap out or add to the vegetables with any ingredients you have on hand such as asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, and tomatoes.
- Swapping the Dressing. Replace the dressing with any other homemade or store-bought option you like best. Or, use pesto in its place!
- Adding Cheese. Enhance the creaminess and add a bit of tang with a sprinkle of feta, goat cheese, mozzarella, or parmesan.
- Including a Bit of Crunch. Sprinkle in chopped nuts or seeds like walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas.
- Adding Protein. Transform this side dish into a complete meal with the addition of chicken, shrimp, turkey, beef, or tofu.
How to Prepare This Pasta Salad with Veggies
This pasta salad comes together super quickly with just a few easy steps!
- Roast the Veggies. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on top followed by a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Toss to combine. Then, transfer the veggies to a preheated oven, and roast until they’re tender and slightly caramelized. Set them aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the orzo to al dente according to the package instructions.
- Combine. Add the cooked orzo and roasted veggies to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the Dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, and drizzle the mixture over the pasta salad. Toss to combine and coat all the ingredients, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Rinse the Pasta. Once drained, immediately rinse the orzo under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from cooking past al dente.
- Reserve Some of the Dressing. If you think you’ll have leftovers or plan on making this recipe ahead of time, reserve some of the dressing, and toss it with the salad to freshen it back up just before serving.
- Boil with Broth. If you want to add even more flavor, try boiling your orzo with chicken or vegetable stock instead of water.
Is It Okay to Make Pasta Salad the Night Before?
Yes, in fact, it will taste even better the next day as the flavors will have time to soak into the dish. Just keep it covered in the fridge, and give it a good toss when you’re ready to eat!
How Long Does It Last?
This roasted veggie pasta salad can be stored covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four to five days, depending on the freshness of your veggies.
Can You Freeze This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad?
Technically, you can freeze leftovers for up to three months. However, we highly recommend serving this pasta salad fresh as it’s likely to become a bit soggy once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta veggie salad pairs well with all your favorite main courses! However, some of our favorite options include:
- Peri Peri Chicken Drumsticks
- Whole Roasted Chicken
- Turkey Caprese Sandwich
- Mediterranean Tuna Salad Sandwich
- Chickpea Chicken Salad
Common Questions About This Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Recipe
We recommend rinsing your pasta before combining it with the other ingredients, but it is not necessary to allow it to cool completely.
Be sure to cook your pasta just to al dente. It will continue to soften as it absorbs some of the dressing.
Yes, if you do not plan on eating your pasta salad right away, it should be transferred to the fridge to keep it fresh.
We recommend serving this roasted veggie pasta salad either chilled or at room temperature.
Absolutely! We recommend sticking with smaller shapes like bow tie or farfalle, but any pasta can be used. Swap it out for gluten-free varieties, if needed!
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
If you’re as in love with this easy-peasy pasta salad as we are, check out these other super simple pasta salads that we love to make on the reg!
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Warm Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Pasta Salad with Pesto
- Caesar Pasta Salad
Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 1 medium sweet red pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet yellow pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large red onion cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and halved
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the Salad:
- 1-1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
Instructions
Prepare the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Set aside.1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Roast the Vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
- On a large baking sheet, combine the diced zucchini, sweet red pepper pieces, sweet yellow pepper pieces, red onion pieces, and halved garlic cloves.1 small zucchini, 1 medium sweet red pepper, 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, 1 large red onion, 4 garlic cloves
- Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive oil over the vegetables. Then, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly in the oil and seasonings.1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they are tender and have a slight caramelized edge. Stir occasionally for even roasting.
- Once roasted, remove the vegetables from the oven, and let them cool slightly.
Cook the Orzo Pasta:
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.1-1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
- Drain the cooked orzo pasta, and rinse it under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process.
Assemble the Salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked orzo pasta and the roasted vegetables.
Add the Dressing:
- Drizzle the prepared lemon juice and olive oil dressing over the salad.
- Toss everything together to ensure the pasta and vegetables are well coated with the dressing.
Serve:
- Serve your Veggie Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables at room temperature or chilled.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, and toss again before serving.
Equipment
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Nutrition
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I made this tonight to rave reviews. I also added a few tomatoes as I had some on the way out and I sprinkled in a bit of feta because, well, feta.
I will be coming back to this recipe again for any night and potluck suppers!
We’re so happy to hear this, Jennifer! Thank you for trying it out. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I saw this recipe on facebook and I made it. Super easy to make and it was delicious. It was my first time making orzo so totally enjoyed this recipe.