Penne Pasta Salad
Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
---|---|---|
10 mins | 20 mins | 30 mins |
Wholesome and delicious classic pasta salad made with creamy pesto dressing and roasted tomatoes. Made with just 9 ingredients in 30 minutes! The perfect quick + easy side dish.
Author: Minimalist Baker
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free
Serves: 6
Ingredients
PASTA SALAD
- 2 cups (300 g) cherry/baby tomatoes, halved
- 12 ounces whole grain or gluten free penne pasta (I love Bionaturea Gluten Free Penne)
PESTO
- 2 cups semi-packed (~120 g), fresh basil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp or 12 g)
- 1/4 cup (33 g) toasted pine nuts, plus more for serving (or sub raw walnuts)
- 1 lemon, juiced (~3 Tbsp or 45 ml)
- 1/4 cup (20 g) vegan parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Pinch sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil (extra virgin is best), plus more for pasta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add tomatoes to the baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil and a pinch each salt and pepper. Arrange cut side up and roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and slightly shriveled. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Once boiling add pasta of choice and cook according to package instructions. Then drain and set aside. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to prevent sticking.
- Make pesto by adding basil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, vegan parmesan cheese and salt to a food processor and blending to combine. Stream in the olive oil until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If too dry, add a little water. It should be thick but pourable (see first photo).
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, vegan parmesan cheese for cheesiness, salt for saltiness, or garlic for bite/spice. Set aside.
- Add cooked pasta and roasted tomatoes to a mixing/serving bowl and top with pesto. Toss to combine and enjoy immediately. Garnish with extra vegan parmesan cheese and/or fresh parsley or basil (optional).
- Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Enjoy at room temperature for best flavor/texture.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 6 servings calculated with whole grain penne and all of the pesto and tomatoes, but no additional toppings.
*Pesto adapted from my Vegan Pesto Parmesan Breadsticks.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: | 1/6th of recipe (~ 1 cup) | Calories: | 352 |
Fat: | 19.7g | Saturated fat: | 2.7g |
Carbohydrates: | 37.3g | Sugar: | 1.6g |
Sodium: | 116mg | Fiber: | 1.6g |
Protein: | 9.6g |