Vegan pasta salad with roasted veggies: The best of summer in a bowl

Pasta salad comes in all shapes and forms, and this is one of those great multi-use recipes that will take you far this summer. 

We’re talking tender pasta, crunchy pine nuts, seasonal veggies and a straight up drinkable lemon vinaigrette to tie things all together. 

Versatility is key here: use any summer veggies and herbs you like, swap out the pine nuts for pecans or almonds. This is the perfect potluck pasta salad for its lack of mayo – no need to worry about it in the heat. I like this as a side with grilled fish or chicken for an all-in-one side dish, and leftovers for lunch are delightful. 

I hope you love this! 

Vegan Pasta Salad with Vegetables and Lemon Vinaigrette 

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Serves: 6  

Pasta Salad 

• 8 ounces short pasta, cooked to al dente in salted water 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 8 ounces asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves or other herbs 
• salt and pepper 

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Lemon Dressing 

• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 2 whole lemons, juiced (about ¼ cup lemon juice) 
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 
• Black pepper, to taste 

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1. Note: For timing, I usually start the water to boil for the pasta, then broil the veggies and make the dressing while the veggies are broiling and the pasta is boiling. When I do it that way, this pasta salad is done in about 45 minutes. 
2. Dressing: Shake all ingredients together in a jar or whisk together in a bowl. Taste, and add more salt, sugar, or pepper if you'd like. Set aside until ready to use. 
3. Pasta Salad: Preheat the broiler and arrange the veggies on a sheet pan. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil the veggies for 5-10 minutes about 8 inches away from the broiler until slightly charred in places. 
4. Allow the cooked, drained pasta and the broiled veggies to cool for 5-10 minutes, if you have time. 
5. To assemble, add the pasta, veggies, pine nuts and basil to a large bowl. Pour over about half of the dressing and stir to combine. Taste and add more dressing to your preference. 
6. Serve immediately or chill covered. Right before serving, season additionally with a little more dressing, pepper and more herbs, if you'd like. Enjoy! 

Ingredient Notes + Tips and Tricks: 

• Salt: Yep, there is a lot of salt in the dressing for this pasta salad. We’re putting the dressing over a LOT of pasta and veggies, so on its own it should be just at “is it too salty?” levels to properly flavor the pasta and make it taste really good. 
• Vegan as written. But if that’s not a requirement, some feta cheese sprinkles on this won’t hurt the situation. 
• Prep: This vinaigrette can be made several days in advance and kept in the fridge. The veggies can also be chopped and roasted 1-2 days in advance. I like to pour the dressing directly over the pasta while it is still warm for better absorption, and I often make the entire salad a day in advance – it truly gets better as it sits!