Penne pasta salad made with roasted pumpkin, capsicum and red onion coated in basil pesto and topped with crumbled feta.
Hey I'm Grace! I'm one of Vanya's sisters and I love cooking. She's asked me to contribute some of my favourite recipes to the website which is so exciting.
I'm a qualified chef and have worked in kitchens in New Zealand and overseas. I have even had my own dessert caravan which was super fun, I hope you enjoy my recipes!
Pasta salad is one of those amazing dishes that can be a lovely side, or a complete meal. My vegetarian Roasted Vegetable and Pesto Pasta Salad is bursting with flavour and super easy to make.
My favourite type of pasta to use in this salad is penne. But feel free to substitute that for your favourite. Likewise, you can add in or swap our your favourite veggies. I love the colour combination of these ones - eat the rainbow!
How to make Roasted vegetable and pesto pasta salad:
Preheat oven to 200°C fan bake. Chop pumpkin into 1cm cubes, spread onto oven tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Cook pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Mix the capsicums and red onion in with the roasted pumpkin. Turn the oven to grill and move the tray to the top of the oven. Grill for 5-10 minutes to brown the vegetables.
In a large bowl mix the basil pesto into the pasta and stir through the roasted vegetables, baby spinach and parmesan. Serve topped with crumbled feta in individual bowls or one large serving dish.
Love pesto? Or pasta salad? Try these other yummy favourite recipes from my website - The Best Pasta Salad, Pesto Potato Salad and Orzo and Haloumi Salad.
Common questions and tips for Pesto pasta salad:
Can this dish be made ahead of time? If you're making this dish ahead of time, run cold water over the cooked pasta before draining it and mixing it with the other ingredients. This will stop it overcooking and keep the baby spinach looking fresh.
Could I use a different type of pesto? Absolutely. Sun-dried tomato, red pepper, garlic or walnut pesto would all be lovely addition to this salad.
TIPS
- Pumpkin can be swapped for kumara.
- Toasted pine nuts would also be a great addition.
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Roasted vegetable and pesto pasta salad
A hearty pasta salad made with penne, roasted vegetables and pesto topped with crumbled feta.
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 of a crown pumpkin
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 capsicums, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 500g penne pasta
- 3⁄4 cup basil pesto
- 60g baby spinach
- 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, optional
- 200g feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan bake.
- Chop pumpkin into 1cm cubes, spread onto oven tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Cook pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Mix the capsicums and red onion in with the roasted pumpkin. Turn the oven to grill and move the tray to the top of the oven. Grill for 5-10 minutes to brown the vegetables.
- In a large bowl mix the basil pesto into the pasta and stir through the roasted vegetables, baby spinach and parmesan.
- Serve topped with crumbled feta in individual bowls or one large serving dish.
Notes
- Pumpkin can be swapped for kumara.
- Toasted pine nuts would also be a great addition.
- If you are making this dish ahead of time, run cold water over the cooked pasta before draining it and mixing it with the other ingredients. This will stop it overcooking and keep the baby spinach looking fresh.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 684Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 824mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 23g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
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