Deck your bowl with something jolly! This Christmas Pasta Salad provides a splash of all the festive colors, plus some good eats alongside your marvelous main course. Packed full of bouncy pasta, lots of crispy, crunchy veggies, and a tangy pesto sauce, everyone will be lining up for a scoop of this holiday heaven. Have a holly, jolly Christmas with a never-ending bowl full of Christmas Pasta Salad!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups yellow squash, chopped
- 1 cup red onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small eggplant, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces whole-wheat penne
- 1 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- fresh basil, to taste, julienned
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Add the zucchini, the yellow squash, the red onion, the green peppers, the red peppers, and the eggplant to a baking sheet and evenly space them out.
Step 3 –Drizzle the veggie mixture with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and the pepper. Toss to coat.
Step 4 –Roast the veggie mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 45-50 minutes.
Step 5 –While the veggies are roasting, in a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the penne to al dente, according to the package instructions.
Step 6 –Drain the water, then rinse the penne. Allow it to cool, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7 –Transfer the baking sheet from the oven and place the roasted veggies in a large bowl.
Step 8 –Add the cooked penne to the roasted vegetables and gently mix them together.
Step 9 –Add the pesto to the penne mixture and gently stir to coat.
Step 10 –Season the pasta salad with the salt and the pepper.
Step 11 –Top the pasta salad with the tomatoes and the basil.
Step 12 –Gently toss the pasta salad and serve.
