I found a super yummy recipe for pasta salad! This one pushes quick a bit because of the veggie prep, but you can save time by finding pre-chopped veggies, and/or using them raw instead. While the suggested mix of veggies works really well, you truly could add whatever you like best or happen to already have. What I did was make this during the weekend when I have more time, and it filled the majority of my plate next to a lean protein every weeknight dinner when I’m super pressed for time. I had to look up what verjus was and didn’t even bother looking for it – subbing with red wine vinegar was delicious. Here’s a link to the original source.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked whole grain elbow macaroni or rotini pasta
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into wedges or chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced into wedges or chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into wedges or chopped
  • 1 red onion, thickly sliced into semi-circles
  • 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
  • 1 eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced
  • 1 cup whole cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 5 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled

VINAIGRETTE

  • 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf or Italian parsley
  • 1/2 packed cup whole fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup verjus or red wine vinegar

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to remove sticky starches; drain well and set aside.
  2. Mist a baking sheet with cooking spray and add peppers and onion in a single layer. Roast in oven until just browned but not soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer peppers and onion to a large bowl. Repeat with zucchini and eggplant in a single layer, then tomatoes; once roasted, add to bowl with peppers and onion.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette: In a blender or food processor, blend all vinaigrette ingredients into a smooth liquid.
  4. Add pasta and vinaigrette to bowl with vegetables and toss well to coat evenly. Top with cheese and serve.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 191
  • Carbohydrate Content: 29 g
  • Cholesterol Content: 8 mg
  • Fat Content: 5 g
  • Fiber Content: 5 g
  • Protein Content: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 3 g
  • Sodium Content: 163 mg
  • Sugar Content: 5 g