We made Mediterranean roasted vegetables into a delicious vegetable pasta salad the other night. It was such a hit with tomatoes, olives, zucchini and bell peppers we took it to a potluck the next week! With a simple dressing it’s packed with flavor and simple to prepare.
We roasted vegetables first and combined with the noodles so we got a bit of crisp on the outside. You can keep it vegetarian or add some Mediterranean chicken thighs in there too for more protein. It’s great warm or cold with some dressing on top.
Now you can make roasted zucchini and squash in the oven if you prefer that method. Below we will explain how to do the same thing in your air fryer because I just love that crispy texture. I first made this when I had a bunch of stuff in the fridge that really needed to be cooked. You know how I hate wasting food y’all.
Figured I could create a version of my Mediterranean pasta salad but with cooked veggies inside. I mean, it might work out great….and it did! After it came out so well I tinkered with how it could be done. Above are directions if you want to bake the first step, below we air fried it and think that is our favorite.
Ingredient Notes
You are going to want small to medium size pasta, penne is what you see here. You’ll cook this separately in a large pot of boiling water with a bit of salt.
To make the dressing we are going to keep it simple with some extra virgin Olive oil or you could just buy a bottle of Italian salad dressing.
Seasonings include just a bit of Italian seasoning, Salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like. Red pepper flakes could be added for a spicy kick.
And for a fresh flavor it is nice to squeeze half a lemon in there. You could use lime instead if you prefer that flavor, or half and half.
Best Vegetables to Include
To make this easy vegetable pasta salad you should choose items that roast at the same rate. In this case we used zucchini, yellow squash, onions, cherry tomatoes and bell peppers for the heart of this one. They are all in the medium category I would say as far as firmness but air fry or bake very similarly so I’d recommend that grouping. You could add others that bake at the same rate if you wanted more.
If you like cooked diced eggs in your mix, make our egg loaf in the oven which makes the whole process really easy.
Variations
You could totally add meat to this if you wanted. I would suggest following our air fryer chicken and vegetables for that first step. Left out it is really good too and serves as a better side dish that way. I use what is on sale typically, but cooks at the same rate. Meaning firmer would need to be cooked together.
Feel free to add some shredded parmesan and/or feta to the top of your roasted veggie pasta salad at the end. That is what we do.
You could use a bottle of Italian dressing instead if you didn’t want to make your own with these items. It is nice though because you can add a bit of heat with red pepper flakes if you like, add more salt, more tangy with lemon or lime juice etc….
Served Warm
Like I said this pasta salad recipe is great served with all of the ingredients still warm. I will do this if making this and our main protein at the same time and don’t want to wait to serve them together. You just serve as is, when veggies are roasted, pasta is tender and drained…and just fold together.
Served Cold
If you wanted it more marinated and cold I would make a double batch of the dressing. Then follow these instructions, allow to cool on the counter, then cover with plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Then toss with the 2nd helping of dressing since the other will have soaked in. We like to serve with feta or parmesan cheese on top. You can jump to recipe and get going now!
Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water with some salt in it to a rolling boil and cook noodles until tender but slightly al dente.
- Dice all vegetables and 2 tbsp olive oil and either add them into an air fryer to roast at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes tossing halfway through cook time. OR roast in a pan on your stovetop until softened and browned a bit on the outsides.
- Drain pasta and toss with roasted vegetables. In a bowl whisk together dressing and pour on top. Gently toss together to coat everything and then serve with feta or parmesan cheese on top.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How long does veggie pasta salad last in the fridge?
Take note that the longer it sits the weirder the texture will become. 24 hours later is ideal to enjoy it again but it will be okay for up to 3 days. The best way to liven this up again to enjoy it is to add a bit more of the same dressing ingredients, or use bottled, then toss to coat. As it sits this will suck up all the liquids and dry out.
How to serve leftovers
If you add just a few Tbsp of Italian or olive oil and vinegar into your vegetable pasta salad leftovers and stir that together, you will not only add moisture but a bunch more flavor too. It is great next day served alongside a sandwich or something for sure. If you want a totally different texture you can crisp it up by throwing it back into the air fryer at 380 F for 3 minutes shaking every min.
You’ll kinda’ get pasta chips out of the noodles and the squash will lose that strange stickiness that you’ll get on the outsides as it sits in the bowl. I wouldn’t freeze this, it won’t save well that way at all. Noodles and rice to me are a one and done, only good if eaten the next day kind of food. That is just me but I am a texture gal so there’s that. 😉
