Roasted Summer Veggie Pasta Salad // Simple and Gluten-Free

Hi, everyone! Today I’m sharing a recipe for a yummy, easy, and healthy pasta salad I made this past weekend for a family cookout. It was a big hit! This recipe is gluten-free due to the fact that I used organic rice flour pasta. However, feel free to use whatever pasta you prefer!

Ingredients

• 2 12 oz. bags of pasta (I used Bionaturae Organic Gluten-Free Fusilli)
• 3 bell peppers (I used yellow, red and orange)
• 1 zucchini
• 1/2 of a red onion
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup Light Italian salad dressing (optional)
• 2 cups of mozarella balls or sliced mozzarella cheese
• fresh basil and oregano

Method

1. Rinse and chop veggies to desired size. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
2. Place vegetables in oven using the broil/ grill setting. Watch veggies carefully to ensure they don’t burn! Depending on your oven, roasting the vegetables can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. I took mine out of the oven after 15 minutes when they were a tiny bit charred and tender. 🙂
3. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
4. Allow vegetables and pasta to cool slightly. Rinse and chop fresh basil and oregano.
5.  Combine roasted veggies and pasta in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper along with the chopped fresh herbs. Toss to coat.
6. Refrigerate pasta salad for at least 2 hours or overnight. Before serving, add mozzarella and a drizzle of italian salad dressing if needed for additional flavor and moisture. Toss one more time and serve at room temperature.

Notes:

• I used whatever vegetables I had on hand. Feel free to get creative. I think this would also be delicious with some yellow squash or green beans.
• Be sure to add the mozzarella after refrigerating the salad to prevent the cheese from melting.
• My sister tried the pasta salad before I added a bit of Italian dressing and said it was delicious. I also thought it was good but prefer a bit more flavor and moisture. It is all about personal preference! 
• My mom taught me that pasta salad is best enjoyed at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before serving.

Did you cook anything delicious this past 4th of July? Let me know in the comments below!

Madison