How do you make a Vegetarian Pasta Salad so fabulous that even this self confessed carnivore can’t get enough of it? MARINATE the vegetables! This big, fat pasta salad recipe is a standout – it’s juicy, it’s flavour loaded and it looks as amazing as it tastes! Excellent summer food that lasts for days.
Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Who would’ve thought those random veggies you’ve got left in the bottom of your fridge could be transformed into something as incredible as this Vegetarian Pasta Salad??
Forget limp, bland veggies sitting sadly amongst tasteless, soggy pasta. THIS cold pasta salad is the polar opposite of that. It’s vibrant, it’s flavour loaded, it’s JUICY, and will make even green-haters scoff down a weeks’ worth of veggies in one sitting!
Marinating the vegetables for just 30 minutes makes all the difference in this pasta salad!
How to make this summer Vegetable Pasta Salad
Cook veggies (BBQ or oven) -> marinade in dressing -> toss through pasta.
Yep. That’s it.
(OK I might’ve skipped a few steps like chop / oil / salt ‘n pepper the veggies, but you get the gist!)
Pro tip – how to keep your pasta salad JUICY (without using tons of oil)
Pasta salads keep well for days upon days, but the pasta tends to suck up all the dressing and vegetable juices. So to keep this nice and juicy if serving this 2, 3 or even 4 days later, the trick is to shake up the dressing with some pasta cooking water to make more dressing without using copious amounts of oil.
This is what happens: pasta cooking water is starchy from the pasta. The starch emulsifies with the oil in the dressing and thickens the pasta cooking water so it’s the consistency of dressing. You have more dressing (with the same amount of flavour in it) so you can reserve some to make the pasta salad nice and juicy when you serve it up the next day….and the next!
Vegetables for pasta salad
The beauty of this Vegetarian Pasta Salad recipe is this – there are no rules. You can literally put any roastable/grillable veggie in this – and it’s going to be amazing.
Oh wait. That was a grand statement that sounded really good but I realised was a bit untrue. I think potato might be a bit odd. While the notion of carb-on-carb is not something that has passed me by over the years (potato pizza, anyone??), I don’t think it will quite work here.
But that’s the only exception! 😂
Here’s what I use.
Now, I confess these were not just dregs of my fridge – I specifically wanted to use the same veggies I used in the Marinated BBQ Vegetables so I could use the same clips in the video to show that you can either roast OR BBQ the vegetables. 😇
But here’s a photo from another time I made this Vegetarian Pasta Salad using other vegetables (I spy cauliflower and broccoli) and also a mix of leftover pasta I had.
Marinade-Dressing for vegetables (double duty!)
And here’s the marinade / dressing I use for this pasta salad recipe. You get great bang for your buck with this marinade:
When you toss hot vegetables in a dressing, they suck up the flavour which makes the veggies even tastier;
As the veggies marinate, they sweat and creates tasty juices which makes this pasta salad extra juicy and tasty; and
Hold back some of the dressing to add a fresh hit of flavour at the end.
I make this a LOT!
I make this Vegetarian Pasta Salad a LOT. This, along with Baked Frittata, is one of my favourite ways to use up leftover vegetables at the end of the week because they can be made with any roast-able vegetables, and it lasts for days and days so you can make it now when your veggies are at the end of their life, but eat it later.
Some more Leftover Veg favourites include: Vegetarian Lasagna (double up on veg and skip the ricotta layer), Cheesy Vegetable Pasta and this One Pan Roasted Vegetables and Seasoned Rice.
How to serve it
Serve this Vegetarian Pasta Salad as:
a side dish to anything (well, perhaps anything non-Asian!)
a meal in itself
work lunch!
GREAT for potlucks and gatherings – transportable, colourful, and of course super delish
serve it at room temp OR slightly warm
And while it is meat free, you could certainly add a hit of protein by adding some shredded chicken! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Marinated Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 400g / 14oz curly pasta , dried (or other of choice)
- 1/4 cup parsley , roughly chopped (or chives)
- 120g / 4oz feta , crumbled into big chunks
Vegetables (Note 1):
- 2 capsicum/bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), cut into 2.5cm / 1" pieces
- 1 red onion , cut into wedges
- 1 eggplant , halved lengthwise, then 1.25cm/ 0.5″ thick semi circles
- 2 zucchini , cut into 1.5cm / 2/3" chunks (see video)
- 200g/ 7oz button mushrooms , halved (large ones quartered)
- 1 bunch asparagus , ends trimmed, cut into 5cm/2" lengths
Roasting:
- 1/4 cup (65ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp each salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
Marinade / Dressing:
- 1/3 cup (85ml) lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (85ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp each dried basil, parsley, oregano, thyme (Note 2)
- 1/2 – 1 tsp chilli flakes (adjust spice to taste, Note 3)
Instructions
Marinade/Dressing:
- Place ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside 10 minutes+.
Roasted Vegetables:
- Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F (230°F fan) – super high heat replicates BBQ charred edges.
- Toss veggies in oil – Place all vegetables other than asparagus in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic, toss.
- Spread vegetables on 2 trays (fill one less than the other). Roast 25 minutes, tossing once.
- Add asparagus – Drizzle asparagus with oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Add into oven for last 5 minutes.
- BBQ Option: See Marinated BBQ Vegetables for directions.
Pasta salad:
- Marinate veggies – Transfer vegetables into large bowl, pour over 1/2 the Dressing. Toss, then leave to marinate for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
- Cook pasta + 2 minutes: In large pot of salted water, cook pasta per packet directions but ADD 2 minutes to the cook time (Note 5 for why). Drain and return pasta into pot.
- Add vegetables, including veg juices, into the pasta pot. Add remaining Dressing and parsley, then toss. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
- Serve! Sprinkle with feta and serve! Keeps 4 – 5 days, serve at room temp.
Make ahead PRO TIP (Note 4):
- SCOOP OUT a mug of pasta cooking water just before draining. Add 3 tbsp water to reserved Dressing (after marinating veg), shake well. Use this Dressing per above, but reserve 3 tbsp to freshen up pasta salad on Day 2 onwards.
- Freshen up pasta salad: Bring to room temp or briefly microwave (cold pasta = dry) to warm gently. Toss with Reserved Dressing then serve.
Recipe Notes:
- 25 min roasting – listed veggies, cauliflower, carrots, corn on cob (cut kernels off), parsnip, root veg, pumpkin
- 15 – 20 min – broccoli, broccolini, fennel, beetroot (cubes), leeks
- 5 minutes – asparagus, green beans, peas.
- No cook – olives, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and other pickled/antipasto veg, tomato, cucumbers, leafy greens.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2019. Writing tidied up January 2022, no change to recipe, I wouldn’t dare!
Life of Dozer
Potato Wedges. He doesn’t have quite the same response with vegetables. 🤷🏻♀️
Hi Nagi,
I was just wondering what I can use as a substitute for refined sugar? Would I be able to use coconut or rapadura sugar?
Hi Sascha, the sugar is just to balance the flavours in the dressing, any sub like coconut sugar, honey etc is suitable here 🙂 N x
Wonderful. I turned it into potato salad, not a fan of pasta salad, weird I know. It is, one person lots of leftovers, very good, as it will be tomorrow, and the day after, again.
Made this one last night and we finished off the leftovers tonight. Seriously delicious- really loved it. Definitely one for the rotation to use up leftover veggies. Used most of recommended veggies but added broccoli which was tremendous. Was skeptical of cooking the veggies at such a high temp but it worked! Another winning recipe from your amazing site. Even my 5yo loved it, note i went easy on the chilli though.
My husband and I absolutely loved this dish! Since we started cooking dinner late in the evening we didn’t let the veggies marinade as long as the recipe suggested; however, it still turned out delicious! I added some shredded chicken breast and all was good with the world in my house. Will definitely make again!
Awesome recipe! Very simple to make. Veggies took about 30-35 minutes in the oven compared to 25 minutes suggested in recipe. Added chicken and it was a great meal. My husband is not a veggie fanatic but he loved it!! Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
I’m so glad your hubby loved it Jess – sorry your veggies took longer, could be the oven or the size the veggies were cut 🙂 N x
We loved it! Came out great, even without marinating the veggies first (we were too hungry to wait). Thanks for another great recipe, Nagi! We’ll make this again for sure.
Made this for dinner last night, it was delicious. Used up some veggies that were in the fridge and fresh zucchini’s from the garden yum
Perfect Dinkydi!
Made this for my vegetarian daughter and the whole family loved it. Made as the recipe is but put bowls of antipasto, olives, feta and parmesan left over from Christmas on the table. Will definitely be making this delicious salad again. Thanks Nagi
That’s great Helen!!
Also added your Rocket Salad to have with it.
Hello,
Can I use raw sugar instead of white sugar in the marinade?
Thanks,
Asha
Hello,
Can I use raw sugar instead of white sugar in the marinade?
Asha
Brilliant dish loved by all
making this now for lunches during the week – IF it lasts that long!!!! Nagi, YUMMMMM!!!!!
I know that problem all too well!
Made this for a school potluck picnic, and it was a hit!
Absolutely amazing. Not usually a fan of pasta salads, but this one is genius. The eggplant & mushrooms give it that satisfying umami. Next time adding artichokes & sundried tomatoes. Yum.
Yes! So many option!!
Incredible recipe! The opening line is so true: this is how you open carnivore’s eyes to new possibilities. Thank you Nagi!
Thanks so much Anka!!!
I made this yesterday with spaghetti pasta because I didn’t have curly pasta. It was sooo good! I loved it. I will be making this again soon. Thank you, Nagi!
Sounds great Alison!!
Nagi, this is amazing!!! I love pasta and I really love how you added roasted veggies (and garlic – yumm!) in this one. The marinade just takes it to the next level.
Wahoo!! Great to hear Sapana!
Just finished making this and oh my goodness is it good! I was a little concerned that the herby dressing would be a bit overwhelming but it’s perfect. I needed to clean out my crisper drawer so I added broccoli and cauliflower and omitted the eggplant (didn’t have any). I thought that some of Trader Joe’s grilled artichoke hearts I had on hand would complement everything so in they went as well.
I just tasted a sample (without the cheese) and am having to talk myself out of having another! I’m going to make a main dish out of it for dinner by adding some chicken and of course the cheese. Maybe topped with a few nuts or sunflower seeds? How perfect for a summer evening!
I’m also hosting my bookclub for lunch in a month and am thinking this would be perfect for that as well.
Just realized I’ve used “perfect” three times in three paragraphs. That tells you something about this recipe 🙂 Thanks Nagi!
That’s awesome Marcia!! I usually to the same thing and just roast whatever I can find in the bottom of my fridge to use it up 🙂
So easy to make, healthy and very delicious! Another great recipe, thank you Nagi.
L
You’re so welcome Lana!
Thanks Nagi, a winning recipe again. Pretty quick to whip up. We mixed in some canned tuna for added protein – tasty!
Souonds great Amy!