If you are working and don’t have much time, this pasta salad with sautéed vegetables is a dish you can prepare in no time.
You know, I love pasta dishes as they are cheap, easy to make and very versatile.
Although I do not work, during summers I love to spend my time at the beach rather than being in the kitchen all day, so it’s a period I prefer to cook something easy but without sparing on the taste.
Pasta with grilled vegetables tastes so good and is a perfect healthy and fresh tasting summer meal for someone on a diet!
Although pasta is rich in carbohydrates, it’s not fattening or unhealthy.
Eaten in moderation pasta can be a great source of energy and help your carbohydrate intake. Combined with lots of vegetables and a little olive oil, it’s a perfect meal.
I’ve chosen some of my favourite summer vegetables but feel free to substitute with whatever you like best but it’s also perfect for cleaning out the fridge as well.
How to make this Pasta Salad
For this vegetable pasta recipe I sautéed the onion and garlic with a little olive oil and removed as much oil as I could before it browned.
I then added the zucchini, cut in very thin slices, which sucked up the flavour from the olive oil, garlic and onion, then tossed in the mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes and added in the garlic and onion again.
I added about 2 tablespoons of my favourite pesto (without cheese) and then added the cooked pasta with a little of the pasta water, so that everything would mix and absorb the flavours.
This makes the zucchini tender and flavourful but don’t overcook as we want to have a crunch on the zucchini and you can feel a crunch from the almonds in the pesto as well.
Cherry tomatoes and peppers add a sweetness to the dish. For me each raw cherry tomato is a burst of powerful summer flavour, but with a bit of cooking, they are even better. As for mushrooms what can I say, I can’t have enough of them.
The recipe is vegan as I do not add cheese to the pesto. If you like, however, for a non vegan meal, you can use regular pesto and toss in some crumbled feta at the end.
For me it’s not necessary as the dish is delicious as it is and there is no need to add any more calories!!
Pasta Salad with Sautéed Vegetables
If you are working and don’t have much time, this pasta salad with sautéed vegetables is a dish you can prepare in no time.
Ingredients
- 200 grams farfalle, cooked al dente
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely cut
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup zucchini cut into very thin slices
- 5 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 5 button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup peppers, various colours
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp of your favourite vegan pesto
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta, al dente, for about 15 minutes or according to package instructions.
- In the meantime cut the mushrooms, the bell peppers, your cherry tomatoes in half and set aside and finely chop the parsley.
- In a non stick frying pan or sautéing pan add 2 tbsp olive oil and sauté the onion,
until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté lightly and just before they start to brown remove them, keeping the oil and adding the other tablespoon. 
- Add the zucchini in one layer and cook on each side for about 2 - 3 minutes.
- When the zucchini is done, add the mushrooms, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes and cook
for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the sautéed onion and garlic and mix. 
- Drain your pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan, salt & pepper, the pesto and the water and mix until most of the water is absorbed.
- Serve with finely chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper on top.
Notes
For a non vegan meal, you can use regular pesto and toss in some crumbled feta at the end.
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 498Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 4mgSodium 244mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 6gSugar 8gProtein 11g
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Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!
Christine
Wednesday 16th of November 2011
Hey Foodies, Ivy's Pasta Salad recipe has been selected by Knapkins to be featured in a Recipe Guessing Game. Invite fans to play:
mjskit
Monday 19th of September 2011
This pasta looks absolutely yummy but way too healthy! :) My recent post Part II – New Mexcio Red Chile and Giveaway
Erica
Friday 9th of September 2011
wonderful salad! i am printing the recipe..Great for a weeknight dinner! My recent post Arepas con Salmon y Aguacate (Arepas with Salmon and Avocado)
Juliana
Tuesday 6th of September 2011
Hi Ivy...welcome back :-) Your warm pasta salad looks terrific, love the idea with lots and lots of veggies. Beautiful dish! Hope you are having a great week Ivy!
Ivy
Tuesday 6th of September 2011
Thank you Juliana. I am not 100% back yet... but I add a post every now and then.
Cakelaw
Tuesday 6th of September 2011
This looks delicious Ivy! My recent post TWD - Chocolate Spice Quickies