Here’s a healthy pasta salad recipe to bring to your next summer BBQ. Roasted veggies and creamy bocconcini cheese offset bowtie pasta noodles in this vegetarian salad that can be eaten as a main meal or a side dish.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Bocconcini cheese (cut in quarters)
- ¾ cup Farfalle pasta (or other noodle of your choice)
- 2 Tbsp Basil, fresh (or 1 Tbsp dried)
- 1 Cucchini
- ⅓ cup Red onion, chopped
- 1.4 cup Sundried tomato pesto
- 2 Tbsp Pine nuts
- ⅓ cup Heirloom tomatoes (halved)
- 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp Grapeseed oil
- ¼ tsp Sugar
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven on broil, high. Wash and dry all produce.
- In a large pot, add 10 cups hot water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch thick half-moons. Peel, then chop the onion into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss onions and zucchini with 1 tbsp grapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper then place in the oven on the middle rack to broil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway.
- Whisk together vinegar, 1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar in a large bowl. Add the bocconcini and tomatoes, toss to combine and set aside.
- To the large pot with boiling water, add pasta. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender, 10-12 min. When pasta is tender, drain, reserving 1/4-cup pasta water and return to the same pot off the heat.
- To the large pot with the pasta add the reserved pasta water, 2 Tbsp butter, roasted veggies and pesto. Toss to combine.
- Divide the pasta between bowls. Top with the marinated tomatoes and bocconcini.
- Top with torn basil leaves and pine nuts.